


Intertwined Destinies

by Ketlenps



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Sex, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:44:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 30,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ketlenps/pseuds/Ketlenps
Summary: The story of how Annika Skywalker, twin to Anakin, came to be part of the 501st Legion after leaving the Jedi Order years before and never becoming a Knight; and how she met some clones, and especially one with a number tattooed on his head and a personality that always left her amazed. She never thought that she would end up in that war defending those men, risking her life for them whenever it was needed. They were now her family, after all.
Relationships: CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555/Original Female Character(s), CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Clone Troopers & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 73





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction is primarily focused on Annika and Fives relationship and also clones (Torrent Company especially), and their friendship. There will be chapters through their points of view too. There will be also Rexsoka (Rex and Ahsoka), but they won't be the main focus.  
My first language isn't English, this fanfic is being written in Portuguese but I am translating it myself, so grammar mistakes may appear.  
Enjoy!

_ **7 years before the Clone Wars, Coruscant, Jedi Temple.** _

With a deep sigh, she contemplated around.

The bedrooms in the Jedi Temple were simple but comfortable, they had their own peculiarity with walls of neutral colors, a single low bed and a mat for meditation. Annika didn't find them bad, compared to the room she used to share with her brother on Tatooine, this was luxury; the entire Temple was. She appreciated the room which was granted to her with much generosity, she liked the peace that brought to her, it was good to meditate and to connect with the Force. Annika wondered if she would miss all of this, maybe a part of her would miss the breakfast and the exercises she enjoyed practicing at the sunset in one of the training courtyards and the classes about history that fascinated her so much. However, her other part would never feel suited in that ambient so placid and cozy.

Annika shook her head to keep away those negatives thoughts and finished putting her civis cloths, which were above her bed, inside her shoulder bag. She couldn't bring more than this, even because a Jedi didn't have much besides their lightsaber, _that I won't be able to bring with me either_, remembered herself. Of course, it would be missed, she adored the lightness of the weapon and her elegance, so easy to wield yet so hard to _really _learn it.

She tied the knot onto the bag and threw it on her shoulder and walked to open the door of the room, she turned her face to look one more time in the place where was her bedroom for three years and sighed again, this time with a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty running through her body. Yes, the room would be missed, she was sure. With a plain smile on the corner of her lips, she turned around and left. At the moment she was using brown pants with black boots, a white shirt with her beige tunic above it and a belt tied to her waist. They were simple clothes as she used in the Temple, but she enjoyed them anyway and was happy to be able to bring it with her.

While she walked to the exit passing through Padawans, Masters and younglings and time to time smiling at them if they greeted her, Annika replayed in her mind the events of recent years as a Padawan. The first thing recalled was the day she and her twin brother entered the Jedi Order and how much it seemed that the Masters of the Council didn't want them because they were already too old, yet they believed that those children were the Chosen ones to bring balance to the Force and according to them it meant the destruction of the Sith; so they accepted them. Annika had been grateful that Master Plo Koon offered to train her, since Anakin would be with Qui-Gon and a Master couldn't have two Padawans and with his death, Obi-Wan took his place.

Only thinking about Master Plo made Annika feel sad. She liked him a lot, yes, she had been always attentive to his teachings and used to ask too many questions and inquire about the actions and motives of the things being of a certain way. Plo was patient and always gave her the best answers on which she would be satisfied and wouldn't speak anymore, always smiling and craving for the next class. Telling him that she had decided to leave the Order was complicated and she had been afraid he would reprove her attitude, seeming to know what was going on in her mind, he had told her not to worry because he would agree with her choice; and then, with a little stuttering, she told that she didn't want anymore.

"If that's your choice I accept it, my little Padawan," he had said, gently touching her shoulder and Annika imagined a smile under his mask. "It doesn't matter where you are, the Force will always be with you."

She had felt an immense warmth within herself at her Master's understanding of her feelings. Annika couldn't imagine herself as a Jedi Master, couldn't imagine herself as a perfect Jedi who kept its emotions and feelings under the pressure of an asteroid belt; she simply knew she should not become one. In her moments alone, she questioned the Jedi means and could not agree with the fact that one couldn't have attachments to people - although she and Anakin had a big one between them, Annika knew that the Jedi couldn't undo this so they had to accept. She was very curious about the Sith and how they were, she always ended up reading some holobook about them, some she had gotten thanks to the librarian and other information's picked up from the holonet. The Jedi didn't study them, and Annika thought it was a waste. There was also the fact that they always taught them to stay away from the Dark Side, and Annika sometimes wondered, _what if we were trained to use it too so we could handle without problem?_ She never asked anyone that.

Annika glanced at one of the dozens of huge Temple windows as she passed by it, the day outside was sunny and the sky was cloudless, the chaotic traffic of Coruscant was always full and the thousands of buildings seemed to glow with a silver color when reflecting sunlight. She loved the skies of that planet, somehow the chaos there brought her tranquility, maybe because she grew up on a planet where there was nothing but desert, nothing but sand.

Anakin.

She bit her bottom lip with the thought of her brother and doubt hit her again, oh, she clearly didn't like doubt. Annika often didn't see her brother, they could be busy the entire day, but when they met, they spent all their time talking or challenging each other in lightsaber combat. They always ended up on the floor, their lightsabers scattered in some corner with them laughing at the defeat they had brought upon each other. On some of these occasions, sometimes Master Obi-Wan alone or accompanied by Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Master Plo Koon, watched them training together; Annika and Anakin only realized that they had company when they peered up from above their lightsabers and each tried to demonstrate how good they were, and of course, always finished in more laughter and bodies scattered on the training mat.

On rare occasions, she and Anakin would speak about their mother who had stayed in Tatooine, wishing they could go back and get her out of that hell, they were quick and short talk, they didn't like it and couldn't - according to the teachings of the Order - be focused on that goal and lose concentration, letting the emotions blind them. It was hard, they knew, they weren't like the other younglings, they just weren't and never would be, somehow, they both knew it and their Masters as well. Annika and Anakin were already discussing leaving the Order, her brother had doubts as well, but it was Annika who had finally decided.

Annika reached the Temple's entrance, it wasn't crowded, and she mentally appreciated this, she didn't want to receive disapproving glances from others, not that they were really going to do it; maybe they would just feel sorry for her for giving up on everything.

_Not on everything,_ she thought, vehemently.

She crossed one of the Temple's great entrances and spotted the Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, Mace Windu, and Grand Master Yoda, all gathered before the stairs. She was surprised to see Windu and Yoda, she didn't imagine that they would be there waiting for her, perhaps they were passing through and decided to wait for her arrival. Perhaps.

Then her gaze drifted to the small figure in front of them. Her twin brother Anakin Skywalker. He wore his long brown robe and upon seeing her, he took it off his head to see his sister. Annika strode so quickly that she hoped it didn't seem too obvious, she wasn't in a hurry to leave, just wanted that doubt to go away fast. When she got close, she received both a sad and warm gaze from her brother. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry.

"Annie," she said, her voice sounding thinner than usual. "Masters."

"Padawan," replied Obi-Wan and Plo Koon in unison and Annika smiled.

"I didn't expect to see you here Masters", she said, her eyes on Windu and Yoda.

Master Yoda smiled kindly at her and Windu answered. "We thought we should tell you that the Force will always be with you personally", he said, his face was serious with a subtle kindness underneath it.

"A great Padawan you were," pronounced Master Yoda, and Annika always loved the way he spoke. "The teachings given you, you have learned; Sure I am that practicing you will continue. Even though Jedi you are not, the Force and its abilities by your side will always be. In your willingness to follow your feelings, I believe."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," answered Annika, her slight smile on the corner of her lips still there.

"May the Force be with you always, Annika," said Obi-Wan, giving her a pleasant smile.

"May the Force be with you always, little Padawan," repeated Master Plo Koon, bowing his head slightly in respect.

Annika grinned at him.

"Thank you so much for everything Master," she said truthfully. "Thank you."

This time Annika turned back to her brother. His eyes were brighter than before and on his lips, a small smile formed - which seemed to be there with a lot of effort - and she reciprocated. Her brother was the same height as her, but Annika was sure someday he would be much taller, his blond hair the same color as hers and the blue eyes as well. So equal and so different at the same time.

"May the Force be..." Anakin said but was interrupted by the hug his sister gave him.

And at that moment, in that brief moment, they both knew they were in the middle of their Masters and others who might pass by. The only thing that mattered was the presence, the touch, the warmth of each other and the Force around them, the power of love and friendship that emanated from them like a dense, damp fog, and it swallowed those who were there. It was strong, very strong. And the Masters felt like a shock wave but in a good and welcome way.

Anakin and Annika hugged tightly for a few minutes, their faces on their shoulders, tears streaming from their closed eyes in silence. There was no hiccup, no sound from them. It was just two 12-year old sharing one last moment together.

They had never been separated before and it hurt more than they both expected.

"I love you, brother," whispered Annika to Anakin's ear.

"I love you too, sister," he whispered back, his voice just as thin as hers. "I love you very much."

"Become the Jedi I couldn't be," she continued. "I know you can do it. I believe in you"

Anakin seemed to shiver under the grip of his sister's arms.

"I'll take care of our mother, "she said placidly. "I promise I will."

They split up and faced each other. Their eyes were red and their faces wet, they dried their tears with the sleeves of their clothes and when they looked again, Anakin and Annika Skywalker giggled at each other's situation.

"Bantha's face," said Annika playfully.

"Hutt's face," replied Anakin and their laughter this time was loud and pleasant to hear.

With one last look at her Masters, who politely tilted their head toward her, Annika Skywalker turned her back and walked to the stairs but before, she spoke to her brother one more time.

"May the Force be with you Anakin, always," The smile on the corner of her lips there again. She held her bag strap and squeezed it tightly.

"May the Force be with you Annika, always," he answered, and put on his Jedi robes over his head again.

They stared at each other for a few more seconds, which for Annika seemed like hours. They were the most painful seconds of her young life. _We have never been separated before_, she thought in anguish as she turned and walked down the stairs_, we have never left each other alone, always together, always together_. _That was our dilemma, to always be available to each other, but why does it seem so impossible to be like this ever again?_

Annika quickened her pace, not caring if they would notice or not. She was crying, sobbing loudly this time and didn't want anyone to know.


	2. Chapter 2

** 7 years later **

** Months after the start of the Clone Wars, Bakura, Wild Space near the Outer Rim. **

Annika rolled her eyes and sighed. 

She was sitting at the ramp of her Corellian freighter with her elbows on her knees and a frown towards the comlink on her hand, she threw it backward indifferently. It was useless to attempt any communication with the smuggler that would receive the cargo she had on her ship, no one could enter or leave the planet without authorization, she had already tried to convince the rude Sullustan that it could work, but he vigorous denied that he didn’t need problems with the Separatists. 

Her gaze hardened as a squad of B1 battle droids marched down the wide avenue that stretched in front of the main spaceport of the capital of Bakura, Salis D'aar. It had been two weeks since the city, once neutral to the war that ravaged the galaxy, had been invaded by the Separatists and continued with a blockade that prevented Annika from leaving as she had always intended. She had been trapped on that planet for two weeks, had never been near battle droids, had only seen them on the holonet news, and was now sure she hated them. 

The city Salis D'aar had many buildings and canals crossed its streets giving it a unique charm. Annika pondered to herself as her eyes followed the march of the robotic creatures, Bakura was a planet in which droids were expressly forbidden to have, and if one had to be taken for any reason, special permission was required. She felt bad for the population, the city no longer had its busy streets as before when she had gotten there, and its canteens were now more deserted than Tatooine dunes. Those who were lucky managed to flee from the capital, as far away from droids as possible, but Annika knew it wouldn’t work, the planet had become a new Separatist post. 

"Kriffing hell," she muttered to herself frustrated. 

Annika went back inside her ship, - a Corellian freighter YT-1760 - closed the hatch and headed for her room. There had already been rebellions around the city, people trying to defend themselves against their invaders, and not once was anyone successful, the result was just more bodies exposed on the streets as a warning for anyone with the same ideas. 

Sitting on her bed, she ran her hands over her face feeling tired and as she looked up, her eyes fell on the lightsabers resting on her desk and a sudden sadness overtook her. For some reason, her brother Anakin came to her mind and her mother, Shmi. The memory and pain were still fresh, it had been months since she had those nightmares about her mother that made her go back to Tatooine. She had never imagined that soon after, her brother would arrive and they would meet again after seven years without seeing each other. 

_ "A__nnia,"__ her brother murmured, his eyes wide in shock. _

_ Anakin took only three quick steps, while Annika had barely taken one, and wrapped her in a hug that nearly took the air from her lungs; oh yes, he was clearly stronger than when he was twelve. Annika __returned__ with a tight grip around his chest and back. Tatooine's blazing sun, burned over their heads. _

_ Both could have shared smiles and laughs, but none of that occurred at that moment; they knew what had brought them together there and it wasn’t pleasant. Both were presented with their mother's vision and both appeared on the same day. At the same time. The two together. **Together.** If this wasn't the Force work, Annika didn't know what it was then. _

The Skywalker’s twins listened to Cliegg Lars's story of what had happened, and they took no hesitation in going after Shmi together, only to find her almost lifeless in a village of Tuskens. Annika closed her eyes, a lump forming in her dry throat as memories returned quickly. 

_ “Mom...Mom...Mom.” Anakin muttered to himself when he went to reach her with Annika by his side. _

_ "Mother," Annika called in a tearful voice as she released one arm from __Shmi __and Anakin the other. “Mom, please.” _

_ Anakin took her in his arms and laid her carefully on the sandy floor, Annika stood on the other side of her mother and __Shmi __Skywalker was wrapped in their arms. Her face shattered her children’s hearts into tiny pieces, she was badly hurt, and Annika let out a small cry of distress through her dry cracked lips. __Shmi __opened her eyes slightly and looked at its twins. _

_ "Annie..." she said, in a faint whisper. “Annia... Is it really you?” _

_ "We’re here, mom," said Anakin, the agony visible on his face. “You're safe.” _

_ "You'll be fine, mom," Annika’s voice was shaking and urgent. Her hands trembled under her mother's shoulders. _

_ “Hold tight,” Anakin continued . “We’ll get you out of here.” _

_ Annika had never been so scared as she was in that moment while her mother breathed weakly and the Force in her diminished. It was a horrible feeling of inability as if they might not be able to save her and it threatened to consume Annika. _**_No, they would make it. _**_She kept her posture and didn't let tears fall, because everything would be all right. All right. _

_ “Annie? Annie,” said _ _Shmi,_ _ raising one hand to touch Anakin's face. “You look so handsome. My son... My grown-up son. I missed you, my dear.” _ _Anakin held her body to himself, his face twisted in pain. _

_ Shmi __drifted her eyes to her daughter and the faint smile she managed to give Anakin widened only slightly as she looked at her. _

_ "Annia...My daughter," she whispered. “You're so beautiful. So beautiful.” _

_ She felt her mother's strength draining from her and Annika’s despair only increased. She couldn't stand the thought of her death, couldn't happen, not so soon and not like that. _ ** _ Please, please no. _**_Tears streamed down her cheeks and Annika no longer cared to keep herself in control. She was not calm. She was in agony as her brother in front of her. _

_ “I'm so proud of you,” __Shmi __said, the half-smile still on her cracked lips. The admiration in her voice was evident, nonetheless. “Annie...__Annia__...So proud. I missed you so much. Now...I'm complete.” _

_ "Just stay with us, mom," Anakin said, with anguished eyes. “Everything will be fine.” _

_ "We’re with you, mom," Annika assured her. “Everything is fine now.” _

_ Oh, how she wished she could have confidence in the words she was saying. _

_ Shmi S__kywalker smiled one last time and her words came out low. _

_ “I love—” _

_ But she didn’t finish the sentence and the words died on her lips, just like her. _

_ For a moment Annika didn't seem to believe what had happened, she was shocked, feeling that familiar presence of her mother fading from the Force and every fiber of her body jumped as a reaction. Annika and Anakin stared at each other, sharing the same pain and the same feeling of desolation, he lowered his eyes and pulled __Shmi's __body into a sorrowful hug, sinking his face into her shoulders. _

_ Annika remained still, just staring. _ ** _ It's my fault, my fault,_**_ her mind screamed, _ ** _ you killed your mother, Annika! You promised to take care of her and you failed! You failed! _ ** _ Tears kept coming down her cheeks, her hands now falling to her sides uselessly and the remorse hit her like a lightsaber in the chest. Hot and deadly. _ ** _ You failed her and your brother, look at him, you had promised! _ **

_ Rage. _

_ She felt angry at herself, she knew it was the __Tuskens __who had injured and consequently caused her mother's death, but strangely, her anger was directly tied to herself. For failing. Anakin looked up, but his face and eyes were dry; his gaze was deadly, and Annika felt the huge fury inside him spread through the Force and inundate her. However, she didn’t pay attention to it. _

_ He laid __Shmi's __body on the floor without looking at his sister, and even if he was, she wouldn't have noticed, she was focused on her mother. She leaned over her and wept as Anakin left the hut without a word, to feed the anger that ate him internally. _**_He would finish them all. All of them. _ **

_ "Forgive me, mom," Annika sobbed. Outside the hut, a lightsaber was turned on and two __Tuskens __heads rolled across the sand. But Annika paid no attention to any of that. “Forgive me. I love you so much. Forgive me.” _

_ The fury she felt when she suddenly thought of the __Tuskens __and what they had done pierced her like a venomous dart, and for an instant, she wanted to take revenge on them all for what they had done. _

** _ Destroy them all. _ **

** _ No. _**_She told herself mentally, _**_there is no need for this. _**_The false welcoming presence of the Dark Side began to calm down within her. How could she know which of the Tuskens had hurt her mother? If she knew, Annika was sure she would avenge her mother. But now, that would be useless. _

_ And then, as if a bucket of cold water landed on her head, Annika lifted her wet face from her mother's lifeless body and glanced back behind her at the entrance of the hut with terrified eyes. _

_ “Anakin!” _

Annika laid down onto her back keeping her eyes closed, her clenched fists close to her body. The memories were more constant than she wanted them to be, no matter how much she meditated, they always came back to torment her. It still hurt, it hurt a lot. 

_ Life forms in the Force were suffering and dying one by one, the lightsaber sound being echoed in her ears and with growing terror, she realized what her brother was doing. The Dark Side of the Force was strong there and coming from him. _

_ “Anakin, no,” she whispered and ran out. _

_ There were __Tuskens __bodies everywhere, a fire burned close, smoke spread through the tribe. Annika saw her twin brother raise his blue lightsaber and behead a __Tusken __that was holding its baby, both bodies fell, and their heads rolled in the sand. Annika felt the fear grow again in her chest and knew at that moment that her brother was too vulnerable to deteriorate to the Dark Side and would stop being that Anakin she loved so much. _

_ She hurried towards him, moving swiftly away from the bodies, the binary suns rising on the horizon lit her eyes and there was something beyond fear: determination. Anakin was about to kill a group of children who were clinging to each other in front of a hut when Annika threw herself in front of him and gripped both his arms tightly, stopping his lightsaber midway. _

_ That Anakin she saw had a cold, angry look, his face frozen in a violent growl, and Annika was even more startled. That was not her brother. It was something else. _

** _ It's the Dark Side. _ **

_ “Anakin, stop,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Stop.” _

_ He stared at her. The growl on his lips faded, but his eyes remained the same. Annika noticed her brother's arms push down, but she kept her grip __firm. "__Anakin, don't let it control you," she said alarmed. Her brother frowned. “Don't let this transform you into something you aren't. Please.” _

_ To her horror, he answered. _

_ “You had promised,” remembered Anakin, his voice hoarse. "You said you would take care of her, but you failed." _

_ His words hit her so violently that she faltered for an instant and her hands got loosen on his wrists. She gaped horrified and her eyes filled with tears, she wanted to scream and say she was very, very sorry. However, Annika did none of this, her face turned austere and her lips compressed tightly. _**_No,_**_ she wouldn't let her emotions consume her and make her unreasonable. The voice coming out of Anakin just wanted to hurt her and cause her pain, and she wouldn't let it happen. _

_ Annika clenched her brother's wrists, extended the Force, and conveyed the tranquility, the peace and love he needed; she showed she understood him, that they were both in pain but killing the other __Tuskens __would not bring their mother back. She gave him the understanding through the Force, she knew about the taste of the Dark Side, bitter and good at the same time; she showed her brother that she understood him, she showed she was there for him. _

_ "Anakin," Annika said firmly. _

_ Her brother stared at her for a long moment and his frown softened, his eyes widened, the lightsaber was __deactivated, __and his arms fell to his side as Annika released them. _

_ "__Annia, __I—" His sentence wasn’t finished, and Anakin dropped to his knees in the sand. His face was livid and shocked as if only realizing what he was doing now. _

_ Annika bent down and wrapped her arms around him in a trembled embrace. _

_ "It's all right," she whispered, and Anakin buried his face into her shoulders, letting tears come down for the first time. “I understand, it wasn't your fault.” _

_ “They are animals!” he cried out angrily, his voice muffled. “They...They—" _

_"It doesn’t matter.” she continued, and this time her eyes kept looking straight ahead as tears marked her face. Some __Tuskens __still dared to stop to look at them but after seconds they ran away. _

_ “__Annia, __they killed her," Anakin sobbed; he hugged his sister hard. “They—" _

_ "I know, Annie," she answered back with a shaky voice. “I know it hurts; I know.” _

They took Shmi's body back to the Lars' farm, a place Annika knew every inch of. Since her mother had been freed by Cliegg that place became her home, until then, when she was older and finally able to leave the planet. Unfortunately, she took a long time to return and the consequences were greater than she could have ever imagined. Annika didn't have to ask Cliegg why he didn't send her a message telling earlier about Shmi capture by the Tuskens, because he told her that he tried to communicate but it wasn’t working as it should be. Mentally, she yelled at him, _ why didn't you fix it then, you __di’kut? __Why didn't you send someone after me? You knew where I would be, why, why! _

Annika wrapped her legs against her chest and took a deep breath. She was trying to blame someone else when she knew the culprit was herself. _ You failed, Annika, failed with your mother and brother. You had promised. _

_ The Lars themselves were digging their mother's grave, and meanwhile, Annika remained alone in one of the rooms of the house and Anakin was in another beside her. She could hear him fiddling with tools and metal scraps, fixing something that wasn't worth it, that was his way of trying to be calm. Annika sighed and closed her eyes, she was sitting on the floor and leaned her head against the wall behind her; she had tried to meditate and put her mind at peace, but in the end, she gave up when she couldn't concentrate. _

_ She then focused on her brother on the other side and felt his anger, but it was the anger that any other human being had. It was normal and part of it, not like the one he had used to assassinate the _ _ Tuskens, __her brother was in pain as much as she was and he blamed himself. Unsurprisingly, she was doing the same thing and trying to convince herself that she had done nothing wrong, but it was _ _ difficult, __and she understood her brother. _

_ She could hear the voices of Anakin and someone else, probably __Padmé, __talking from the room. Annika still didn’t know why a senator was in Tatooine and even more, why with her brother, a Jedi, _ ** _ perhaps he is accompanying her on one of her planetary _ ** ** _ missions, _**_she deduced. _

_ “It's all Obi-__Wan's __fault!” Annika heard her brother's loud voice this time and was alarmed at Anakin's accusation to his Master. “He's jealous of me! He knows I'm more powerful than him. He’s holding me back.” _

_ Annika didn't like listening to other people's conversations and intruding but this time she sharpened her senses and listened to the conversation. Her brother was angry with his own Master, Annika didn’t know, of course, what was going on between them and how their relationship was after she left the Order as a child, but it was quite apparent now that Anakin was unhappy with him. She'd never felt this way about __Plo __Koon, as much as she had been upset about something once, there was never anger involved. _

_ “I killed them,” said Anakin, his voice showing his pain. “I killed them all.” There was a momentary pause of hesitation. “I almost killed everyone, not just the men but the women and children too; but...Annika prevented me from killing them all.” _

_ Annika wondered if her brother would accuse her in the same way he was doing with Obi-Wan, and stood still, her breath threatening to falter. _

_ "They were animals and I wanted to slaughter them as such." He kept saying. "But my sister… she did something and I—" Again another pause. "She made me understand my _ _ actions, Annika understood my anger, and yet she didn't want to kill them. She understood.” _

_ Annika listened attentively. _

_ “I hate them!” Anakin screamed, his voice emotional. "Why do I hate them... I don't... I couldn't have controlled myself if it weren't for her. I don't want to hate them. But I can't just forgive them and I know Annika feels the same way, but she knows how to handle it better than me. I don’t know what—" _

_ Annika didn't wait to hear the rest, didn't need to, _ _ Padmé _ _ was saying something comforting to him as she rose from the floor and headed out of the room with warm tears on her cheeks. After all, the brothers were still alike in many things and Annika knew she couldn't forgive the Tuskens for what they did. And most importantly, she came to understand what her brother was feeling as clearly as she now saw, their bonding with each other making it possible for her to do so, it was natural and this time more powerful than ever. _

_ Shmi __Skywalker's funeral didn’t take long, __Cliegg__ Lars uttered his words to her while Annika and Anakin were kneeling side by side in front of her grave. This time there was no despair and tears full of sobs, it was only visceral pain that grew internally quickly and lethally. And most of all, Annika felt remorse running through her like acid, burning her inside. _ ** _ If I had come before she would have been saved; _ **if, if and if. 

_ "I was not strong enough to save you, mother," Anakin murmured. And his sister closed her eyes. “I wasn't strong enough. But I promise I won't fail again.” _

** _ Fail...You had promised and failed _ ** _ . _

_ Annika shook her head slightly to ward off her thoughts. _

_ “I miss you so much,” Anakin said, and it hurt Annika more than she expected. _

_ She had been with her mother since leaving the Order, however... the last time Anakin saw her was when they were leaving Tatooine with __Gui _ _ -Gon; Annika remembered her mother always mentioning her son, how she missed him and the immense desire she had of going to the Jedi Temple to visit him, but _ _ Shmi _ _ knew it wasn't right. Annika thought it was right, but she understood very well how the Jedi code worked. _

_ “Don't blame yourself for what happened,” she whispered to him with her eyes still closed, the binary suns warming her face. "You are strong, you always were." _

_ She opened her eyes and turned her face to see Anakin staring her, he had a placid face but internally she could imagine the swirl of feelings that were flooding him. Anakin gave her a sympathetic almost peaceful look; this was the brother she remembered. _

_ Annika used her left hand to hold the fist he had and when he felt his sister's touch, his hand opened. _

_ “We did what we could.” she finished, and they said nothing more. _

She tried to focus on the Force, tried to keep her mind from repeating those scenes over and over. She inhaled the metallic-smelling air of her ship and expelled slowly, the tears threatening to come down, but they didn’t. Annika opened her eyes to smile sadly as she remembered the second time she met her brother, the second and last. It wasn't for a good reason, no, it was because of a dream, it was the Force telling her that something wasn't right with Anakin. His twin sister went after him in Coruscant, she didn't know how she still remembered her former Master Plo Koon's code and even more if it would be the same after so many years, but it worked, and she was able to communicate with the Jedi Temple. 

_ As Annika was checking the control panels at the bottom of the ship, she heard the __comlink __beep ringing, a sign that they had finally returned. She entered the cockpit almost falling because of a box in her way, she sat in the chair turning on the __comlink __without the __holo __option, almost out of breath. _

_ “Hello?” she said, her voice clearly showing anxiety. Her eyes were wide. _

_ “Annika?” __Plo __Koon's voice said, his surprise visible. “Annika Skywalker?” _

_ She grinned, feeling good for hearing the pleasant voice of her former Master that she remembered fondly. _

_ “Master __Plo __Koon, is that really you?” It was a stupid question because she knew for sure who it was. _

_ "Well, I think it's me," he answered, "and I'm sure you're the little Annika." _

_ She giggled, feeling nostalgic. "_ _Maybe not so little anymore, Master _ _Plo_ _," she said._

_ "I must admit, I'm very surprised by the call." _

_ “I say the same.” she bit her bottom lip. “I'm glad to be able to talk to you again Master __Plo__, but I—__“ _

_ She hesitated. _

_ “You can ask Annika,” __Plo __reassured her, giving the courage to speak. _

_ “I'd like your help.” she said at last. "I wonder if I could see Anakin, if he's there, of course." _

_ "Annika—" He sounded thoughtful on the other side. “Anakin is not in good condition at the moment.” _

_ “__I__ knew something happened!” she exclaimed, sure of herself now. “I felt something was wrong. What happened Master __Plo?__ Please, tell me. _

_ "Well, I shouldn't but I'll do it for you," he explained. "No need to worry, your brother is fine, just wounded but recovering. He lost his right forearm in combat, unfortunately.” _

_ Annika was stunned for an instant but instead of her voice coming out high pitched and nervous, she came calm and steady. _

_ “What happened in __Geonosis, __Master Plo?” she inquired, remembering her brother’s goodbye to her in Tatooine because he had to go to that planet. After their mother’s death. She had asked Anakin to go with him but he denied, so she didn’t. _

_ Plo __Koon was silent on the other side, perhaps pondering how Annika might know of such a thing. _"_Apparently you must have talked to your brother before," he said and continued. “There was a big battle there Annika. The Separatist army attacked and many Jedi were killed.” _

_ Annika frowned slightly; it was difficult to imagine several Jedi being killed at the same time.__“I'm so sorry,” she said honestly. _

_ “It's all right.” His voice was low. "We're all back at the Temple now." _

_ “This is good news.” Her mind kept wandering back to her brother without one of his arms. _

** _ Oh, poor Annie. _ **

_ "You said you wanted to see your brother," __Plo __Koon resumed the subject._

_ Annika blinked. _"Y_es, Master __Plo__," she said anxiously. "I would love to, and I really wish you could help me. If I still remember, you are on the Jedi Council and I know you could get me to visit him; just this time. Please.” _

_ "This isn't so easy, Annika," he answered. “Jedi can't keep connections with their relatives—“ _

_ “I know,” she murmured sadly. _

_ “—but I can do it for you,” he finished. _

_ Annika smiled again._ _“Really?” _

_ "Sure." Annika could have sworn he was smiling somehow."I'll contact you if I succeed, I'll do my best for you and I think your brother would like to know too." _

_ “Thank you very much, Master __Plo.__” _

_ "You're welcome, ex-little Annika," he said, and she smiled. “I just can't promise anything for sure.” _

_ “Of course.” _

_ They said goodbye to each other and the __comlink __was turned off, Annika sat up straight as she stared out the cockpit into Coruscant with a smile at the corners of her lips. She knew she could count on her old Master somehow, he wasn't sure, but the fact that he would try already made her hopeful. She could imagine what Master Yoda would say, that it wouldn't be a good thing for Anakin to keep in contact with her, since it wasn’t the Jedi way of being; but Annika stopped thinking about it when she remembered the fact that her brother was injured. _**_He lost his arm, _ ** _ she thought wistfully, and her smile was no longer on her lips, _**_his lightsaber arm. _ **

_ They could put on a synthetic later, yet knowing what he went through made her melancholy. _

_ It took an hour for _ _ Plo __Koon to return, and to Annika's happiness, he brought confirmation that she could go but only this time. She thanked him several times and hurried to go. Annika left her two lightsabers stored inside one of the quarters on the ship, she wouldn't need them now, didn't want the Jedi to ask more questions than she expected. In the end, she just put her A180 pistol into her right thigh holster. It was better to walk around with a blaster than with lightsabers. __Outside, she rented a speeder bike with a few credits with a Duros__ that was in a good mood, he examined her up and down with his red eyes and a mischievous smile, Annika was kind but she paid quickly and accelerated toward the Jedi Temple. _

_ It didn’t take long before she could see the tall towers of the Temple and its magnitude, it was an impossible point not to see when passing through those surroundings.The last time she'd seen the place was as a child, turning her back on it to never return. _**_But this time you're going in there Annika, _**_she thought nervous, _**_it's been seven years since the last time. _**_It felt more than seven to her, it felt like decades. _

_ Annika went to the coordinates __Plo __Koon told her, to one of the landing platforms at the top of the Temple. From above, as she was approaching, she spotted two figures waiting for her and she recognized them immediately. They were __Plo __Koon and Master Yoda. _

_ Annika had to admit, she was more nervous than she had planned to be. _

_ She got the speeder down on the platform and turned it off when she landed. She got out of her seat and stood to look at the approaching figures. _

_ "Greetings, little Annika," said P__lo __Koon, his voice cordial. “Good to see you again.” _

_ "Surprised by your visit, we are," said Master Yoda, giving her a slight smile that she always remembered him doing. “Happy to know well you are, I am.” _

_ "It's great to see you again, Masters," she answered, nodding with a smile. "And thank you so much for letting me see Anakin." _

_ "Convince me, Master __Plo __Koon did," said Yoda, he was holding his little cane with both hands resting on top of __it. _ _ “No harm coming from your visit I sensed.” _

_ Annika felt better at Master Yoda's words and her nervousness diminished a little more. _

_ "Besides," said __Plo __Koon, “Anakin is out of healing hibernation already and he insisted he should see you when I warned him, despite the protests of one of our healers.” _

_ "Oh." Annika knew well how the Jedi healers were when one of them resolved to disobey orders. But if the Council Masters allowed it, so did they. "I swear I'll thank them, too." _

_ "Nervous I feel you are, young Skywalker," Master Yoda noticed. “Feel you don’t. Come, your brother waiting for you it is.” _

_ She returned a smile and the three of them headed into the hangar. Annika felt good and strange at the same time, entering the Jedi Temple after so many years since she left it all by her own choice would affect her, she knew, she was feeling now and was sure the two Masters by her sides could feel it too. She was clearly apprehensive. _

_ “I'm sorry for what happened in __Geonosis, __Masters,” said Annika. “It’s hard to believe so many Jedi were killed.” _

_ "In the Force now they rest," Master Yoda said. _

_ "Yes," she answered. _

_ "See your brother you’ll no longer will, know that you do," Master Yoda warned, as they entered the turbo elevator to descend. “A Jedi he is, and attachment’s permitted are not.” _

_ Annika felt her stomach knot. _**_Not seeing him anymore, _**_s__he thought with anguish, _**_never again. _ ** _ She didn’t tell the __Masters __that this wasn't in her plans, nor that deep inside something told her that she would always see her brother.__“I understand, Master Yoda." she simply answered. _

_ “Feeling him hurt you did,” Master Yoda continued, thoughtfully. "Strong it is, your bond, good for a Jedi, is it not.” _

_ "Yes, it was like a warning," she said truthfully. “I just knew I needed to see him.” _

_ Master Yoda gave her an affected look and nodded. _

_ The turbo elevator stopped and the door opened, Master __Plo __Koon and Master Yoda stepped out and Annika followed them. The Healing Halls of the Jedi Temple was a huge and very comfortable place to stay, despite being an environment that you would only go to if you weren’t well. Annika remembered the few times she had to go there and how she always felt safe. _

_ The Great Hall they now walked into was bathed in the sunlight streaming through the tall windows, the floors and walls had a greenish-blue that created a soothing atmosphere. There were huge pink-colored pillars that rose to the ceiling throughout the Hall, beds lined next to each other, in which there were a few Jedi resting; some had bandages and as they passed, they greeted them politely. Five Jedi healers took care of who was there, two were human, two __Twi'lek __and one __Rodian. __One of the __Twi'leks __approached as if she was already expecting them to come. Her skin was blue and her __lekkus __were adorned with strips of some unknown fabric to Annika. _

_ "Masters," she greeted them, bowing slightly. _

_ "V_ _okara _ _Che is the chief healer, Annika" _ _Plo _ _Koon explained._

_ Annika gave her a small smile in response. _

_ “Is a pleasure.” _

_ "You have your brother's face and eyes," __Vokara Che said__, studying her with benevolent blue eyes. "You really are identical twins." _

_ “People used to say that,” Annika said. _

_ "Now with her, you must go," Master Yoda sai. “With Skywalker meet you will.” _

_ Annika nodded to the __Masters __and followed __Vokara __Che through one of the entrances that led to the single rooms. _

_ "You were lucky Skywalker was already recovered," __Vokara __commented as they walked toward Anakin's room. “Until two days ago I wouldn’t allow anyone here.” _

_ “I understand.” Annika said. “I appreciate it.” _

_ Vokara __Che glanced her with curious and affectionate eyes and offered._

_ "It's amazing that you can visit your brother," she said. “A little unusual around here.” _

_ "I know," Annika was feeling a little uncomfortable. “Master Yoda is very kind.” _

_ “Certainly.” _

_ Annika felt her brother's presence amid so many others, it was amazing how she could distinguish his Force through so many so easily. She felt her brother's anxiety and Annika knew in that instant that he felt her too. She realized before __Vokara __Che even said which door her brother was in. The healer stopped and turned to her. _

_ "He'll get out of here today," she told. “Go in, he is waiting for you.” _

_ “Thank you.” _

_ The T__wi'lek __woman smiled one last time and walked away. Annika turned to the door and pushed the button to open it and entered. _

_ Obi-Wan Kenobi was saying something to her brother when Annika emerged and stopped instantly with shock on his face when he saw her; Anakin, on the other hand, was already staring at the door even before Annika appeared, and his eyes lit up seeing his sister. She noticed Anakin's synthetic arm and gave him a comforting look. _

_ “__Annia!__” he exclaimed and went to meet her with a hug for the second time. _

_ Annika returned the gesture of affection feeling relief flooding both with soft warmth, Anakin's synthetic arm squeezing harder than his ordinary one behind his sister's back. _ _ Again, __that feeling of being complete filled her heart. She loved her brother, didn't want to be away from him and lose it. Like she lost her mother. _

_ “Good to know you're fine,” she said, her head on his shoulder. “Very good indeed.” _

_ They parted and Annika smiled with her lips closed, Anakin returned the gesture._

_ "Annika, by the Force." She glanced sideways to see Obi-Wan's surprised face after the initial shock, his eyebrows furrowed. “How did—" _

_ “Hi, Obi-Wan, good to see you.” She ignored the fact that he seemed a little disturbed by her presence there. "I thought Master Yoda or Master Plo Koon would tell you I was coming here." _

_ "Well, they didn’t,” he answered, and gazed Anakin with an inquiring look. "And you didn't tell me either." _

_ "Ah Master, I thought a surprise visit would be better." Anakin shrugged, nonchalantly. _

_ He and Annika exchanged amused glances. As if realizing it would be no use asking them questions, Obi-Wan sighed.__"I think it's best to leave you two alone," he said and walked over to Annika with a look of surprise and concern. _ ** _ Yes, he also thinks that coming here is a bad thing for Anakin. _ ** _ "Nice to see you, Annika, a big surprise too. See you out there.” _

_ “Of course.” Annika smiled kindly. _

_ Obi-Wan gave Anakin one last inquisitive look and walked out the door. When his Master disappeared, Anakin let out a long breath.__"He sure doesn't think that's a good idea," he said, sitting on the bed he gazed at his sister. _

_ "I heard about __Geonosis__," Annika said, sympathetically. "I'm sorry for what happened to you and the Jedi." _

_ "It's all right now," he assured her, but his eyes were serious. "It could have been worse and I wouldn't be here." _

_ “But you are,” Annika said, abruptly. _

_ Anakin lowered his head and examined the new synthetic arm; Annika felt his discomfort and anger.__“Count Dooku did this,” he said, his voice low. “I went to prevent him from killing Obi-Wan and we fought, but I wasn't strong enough.” __His robotic hand clenched in a fist. _"_Just as I wasn't strong enough to save our mother." _

_ "Anakin," she called, indignantly. “Stop blaming yourself, it will only hurt you. I know it's hard, I understand you.” _

_ He looked up and Annika found acknowledgment, suffering, anger in his eyes but also a certainty that he was trying to live with the same pain as she was. Struggling too. _

_ "The war has begun," he warned, abruptly changing the subject. _

_ “War?” Annika swallowed hard. _

_ "Yes," Anakin confirmed, this time his face was austere. “The Clone Wars. That’s how they are calling it. Separatists against the Republic and the Jedi are now involved.” _

_ Annika was restless and the wonder was visible on her face, _ ** _ a war? This was getting worse and worse. _ ** _ A war going on throughout the galaxy would do no good, and the Jedi fighting together was even stranger, they were peacemakers and not soldiers. And her brother said—_

_ “Clones?” she asked, confused. _

_ Anakin nodded. _

_ "The army of the Republic are the clones," he said. "They saved us on _ _ Geonosis, __and they're very good." _

_ An entire army of equal faces was hard to imagine. _

_ "I needed to see you because I had another vision," she said, worriedly. "I knew you were hurt and I just knew I should see you." _

_ "I know." Anakin smiled, not necessarily happy, but an affectionate smile. "It's like before, isn't it?" _

_ “What?” _

_ "We can feel each other stronger this time," he explained. “If something is wrong, we feel it. We know.” _

_ “Oh yes,” Annika agreed, she sat on the bed next to her brother and stared at him. "__Maybe that's what worried Obi-Wan, he realized. Actually, Master Yoda and __Plo __Koon too.” _

_ "Master Yoda probably knew that stopping you from seeing me wouldn't work." he said. “One time or another would happen.” _

_ "And it happened, didn't it?" Annika reminded, her voice low. "Not a good time, but it happened." _

_ "Annika," he questioned, his brows furrowed. "If you weren't living in Tatooine, where were you?" _

_ She stared at him in silence. _**_And if you think your brother is trustworthy, you can say whatever you want, _**_her Master's words came overflowing her mind. She still felt bad that she hadn’t been in Tatooine with her mother, she still felt guilty, she was telling her brother not to blame himself, but she did the same and rarely noticed. Did she trust her brother? Of course, she did! However, she thought this wasn't the time to mention the real reason she was out of Tatooine. _**_Not now, later,_**_ she thought. _

_ "I was traveling," she answered. “Gaining credits while working with the delivery of different cargos.” _

_ “Smuggling, huh?” Anakin raised an eyebrow, an accusing half-smile on his lips. _

_ Partly true, Annika often did this job to get credits and, in many cases, she had carried quite illegal stuff. It didn't matter, if they paid, she would take them anywhere.__"Sometimes." she said with a shrug. _

_ "I don't blame you for wanting to get off that planet and live far away," Anakin said. “Tatooine is horrible.” _

** _ You failed! You couldn’t even save your mother because you were a selfish _** **_hut’uun!_ **

_ Annika looked away from her brother to the greenish-blue floor. Anakin felt the tension and remorse of his sister, he lived with it too, both were like two pieces that fit together perfectly.__"Yeah" Annika agreed. “Horrible.” _

_ Both brothers remained silent for a few seconds, each recalling their past lives on that hot, sandy planet. Annika cut the silence with a proud smile on her lips.__“You're a Jedi now,” she reminded him. “You did it.” _

_ Anakin seemed uncomfortable and glanced away from his sister, looking shy for the first time.__“I'm a Padawan actually.” he answered, softly. _

_ "But you’ll soon be a Jedi Knight," Annika said, she touched her brother's shoulder and he raised his blue eyes to look at her. “You became what I couldn't.” _

_ "Annika, I—" He had a blank look and seemed guilty. He swallowed. “I'm not the Jedi I should be, I... You saw what I did in that __Tusken __village—“ _

_ "We're humans," she said firmly. “We make mistakes and learn from them. You're a good person, don’t let what you felt there get hold of you again. I too felt fury but killing those creatures wouldn’t bring her back."_

_ "You stopped," he remembered, his eyes anxious and wide. “You helped me.” _

_ "I wished your Jedi training would guide you differently,” Annika said, suddenly sad. “You and I have always been different from others, following the Jedi code for us is... _

_ "Complicated." Anakin finished for her, nodding. _

_ “Yes.” _

_ Anakin gave her a compassionate look. They understood each other better than Annika had thought, even after so many years away from each other. She noticed her brother's curiosity as he frowned. _

_ "You're strong in the Force too," he said. “You’ve been training?” _

_ "Well," she hesitated, then nodded. “I had help. I had a Master.” _

_ “A __Master?” Anakin __exclaimed in astonishment. “A Jedi?” _

_ "Oh no, Annie," she explained, patiently. “He wasn't a Jedi. I mean, he left the Order just like I did and for some reason, I met him on Tatooine. He was a good man. Unfortunately, he already passed away a while ago.” _

_ Anakin touched his sister's hand. _

_ “I'm sorry.” his eyes were welcoming, and that made Annika feel bad for lying, but she just smiled kindly. _

_ “It’s all right,” she said. “Ah, that reminds me, and _ _Padmé,_ _ is she okay? You guys went together to _ _Geonosis."_

_ The mention of the senator's name made Anakin blink, and Annika could feel something more on her brother: affection, admiration, and something else... It made her look at him with curious eyes. _

_ “She's fine, Annia,” he answered with visible relief. “Pad—Senator Amidala is fine. I will accompany her back to Naboo and return to Coruscant.” _

_ "Were you her guardian?" asked his sister. "That's why she was with you on Tatooine." _

_ "Yes," he said. "She was being targeted by bounty hunters and the chancellor himself insisted me to be her guard." _

_ “I understand.” _

_ Annika didn't tell him that she felt that her brother had feelings for the senator in some way, it wasn’t bad, of course, but he was a __Jedi __and this wasn’t allowed. _ ** _ Emotions, _ ** _ she thought, _ ** _ my brother must put them under a giant rock._**_ If it wasn’t for emotions, Annika would have never left the Order and from what she had seen, Anakin still needed to learn to deal with them as a Jedi did. Emotions were part of a human being, taking them away or burying them in your conscious forever was just like taking your humanity from yourself. Your true self. _

_ So believed Annika. _

_ Her brother accompanied her in the end when she was leaving, they no longer talked about the tragic events of their past lives but rather good ones. Anakin told her some of his funny moments as a Padawan and how many times he had lost his lightsaber and Annika smiled, sharing her moments as well. She was glad to have a chance to see her brother, the Jedi Masters said goodbye to her kindly, she had noticed Obi-Wan with that worried look again but was soon gone. Saying goodbye to her brother knowing she wouldn’t be able to see him again caused a cold sensation to creep up her back and up her arms covered by her shirt. She hugged him tight this time, and the memory of when she left the Order hit her hard and she almost cried, however, she remained calm as always and offered him a smile. _

_ “Take care of yourself,” Anakin told her while she got into the speeder bike. "May the Force be with you, sister." _

_ “With you too,” she said, and they both shared melancholic smiles. _

_ A war had begun, the Jedi were in the middle. Her brother would be in the middle. She had a great desire to be by his side right now but all she could do was turn on the speeder bike and return with the feeling in her heart that this wouldn't be the last time she would be with him. _

Annika rose from the bed and headed for her desk just ahead, both lightsabers were there. One of them was completely black, with intertwined white marks as if someone had used a vibroblade on it. She wasn’t the one who had done this, no, that lightsaber had once belonged to a Sith, someone who had used it to evils Annika would rather not imagine. Its crystal wasn’t red but pure white since she purified to make it her own. A lightsaber her _new_ Master gave her. 

The other was recent, it was silver and wasn’t worn out like the black one, no, this was one she made it herself; the crystal chose her when she made the journey to the planet with her Master; when she was older and could leave Tatooine. She still remembered very well her mother hugging and kissing her face several times, telling to be careful, that she would find her crystal as fast as the blink of an eye, that she should be persistent and courageous. That was the last time she saw Shmi full of life. 

She touched the new saber and her jaws clenched.

Esok Qott was her new Master, the man she happened to meet on that desert planet, the man who helped her when she thought she didn’t need help; the man who trained her and taught Annika things the Jedi never did; the man she considered a father, a father Cliegg Lars had never been to her. A Mandalorian man who taught her his language and his culture as well. An honorable man with a kind heart and a hopeful mind. 

_ She met him in the year she left the Jedi Order; she went to play with some friends in the dunes when they ended up encountering the Sand People and as they fled, Annika got lost and fell on the ground, rolling down to the valley below. She had been alone against the __Tuskens._

_ Ten decided to attack her, but Annika hadn’t forgotten her Jedi training, which she spent years studying. Using the Force, she snatched the __Tuskens __weapon, a __Gaderffii,__ from one of their hands and used it to defend herself, as if it were a lightsaber. Dodging, leaping and hitting them, she managed to knock half of them out. The others she shoved with the Force and they flew away, Annika heard cracking sounds as breaking branches, when they landed on the ground and kept there motionless. _

_ It was when Annika saw the hermit who was hiding his face under his clothes to protect itself from the binary suns; she remembered very well how it felt to meet him, the Force he emanated was just like the Jedi Masters in Coruscant and for a brief moment, Annika thought he was there to say something about her brother. __“Are you a Jedi?” she asked with wide eyes of a naive child. _

_ He approached a few steps and shook his head in denial.__“No, I'm not.” _

_ His Force wasn’t evil, on the other hand, it was warm and pleasing, and Annika was relieved for a moment but she still stepped back and lifted the __Gardeffii __in an attack position. She questioned him with a frown.__“S__ith?__” _

_ Esok __just denied it again.__"No, __ad’ika,"__ he said. “Neither of those.” _

_ The hermit removed the cloths that protected his face and Annika could see him for the first time. They stared at each other for a moment, with Annika raising her eyebrows curiously. After that, Esok escorted Annika back to the town and they went on talking about matters that ordinary civilians didn't talk about, such as the Force. Their friendship started from there, and Annika would always be grateful for those Tuskens attacking her, or maybe she wouldn’t have fallen right where he would pass. In the end, both had more in common than she would have imagined. _

Annika grasped her silver lightsaber and squeezed it with the memory of her Master, she didn't doubt that she would give her life to save his if necessary, just as she would have given to save her mother if she had had time. As much as that lightsaber brought her the good memory of her Master, it also came with its sadness; if she had never gone to build it, she would never have lost her mother. She sighed in exasperation. She needed to stop blaming herself or she would never be able to live and accept Shmi's death. She knew that Esok probably blamed himself too, but the difference was that he was good at hiding it. 

She placed the silver lightsaber into her belt and grabbed the black, the one her Master had given her when he began to teach her at the Lars’s home. At the time, its crystal was still red. Annika allowed grief to fall on her. Her Master, that kind and benevolent man, with a painful and dark past. _ A man who had been a Jedi and a __Sith __and now was neither, _she thought as she fastened her black lightsaber on her belt. _ A man who knew both sides of the Force and was more than willing to train me. __A man with such a sad story _. She would always thank him; but not right now. Esok was in Dantooine - where he was living after Shmi's death - and she, well, was trapped in Bakura for who knows how long. 

The sound of shouts withdrew her from her endless daydreams, she arched an eyebrow and left her room toward the Corellian freighter's cockpit. Looking outside, Annika noticed that the traffic had dispersed from its normal route into several different directions. "Oh Feir’fek," she murmured. “What is it now?” 

She supposed it was a new attack from the local rebellion and headed for the exit of the ship, walking down the ramp and a little farther ahead, she could better see the chaos that began to settle in the city. Battle droids emerged in great volumes and vulture droid fighters cut the skies by the thousands. The spaceport turned into pandemonium with shipping raising to flee and people running in any direction, screaming and speaking in different dialects. Annika heard the end of a conversation when a Devaronian passed by her while screaming in his comlink. 

"...we're under attack, it's the—" His sentence was cut off as he disappeared from her sight. 

Sounds of blasters erupted nearby and Annika turned her head in the direction of the sound, a Rodian started firing at the B1 battle droids that were at the entrance to the spaceport, with others joining the chaos. Annika lowered her head instinctively and turned to run for her ship and stopped when the Corellian freighter exploded in flames and shards flew everywhere. The impact was so intense that throw her backward, rolling for meters until she hit a wall. She coughed, feeling numbness in her whole body, her arms trembled when she tried to get on her knees. She looked up to see tanks heading down the main avenue, they were aiming at the spaceport to the fleeing ships as well as the ones that were parked. 

She growled in anger at her destroyed ship, her plans to leave Bakura were now definitely delayed. Annika struggled to her feet, took a deep breath, and made sure that she didn’t break anything and that she could move normally despite the dizziness caused by the explosion. 

“It's the Republic!” A voice shouted somewhere.

Annika looked up and gaped seeing for the first time this close what the forces of the Republic would be. She had never been in a conflict before since the war began, and at that moment, she internally asked the Force not to die because she still wanted to see her brother one last time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a translation:  
di’kut - Idiot  
hut’uun - Coward  
ad’ika - Child in an affectionate way (can also mean son, daughter)  
Feir’fek - Shit/Fuck  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story starts after Season 3 episode 2 "ARC Troopers", in chronological order (before Mortis and The Citadel episodes).
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

** _Salis D'aar, Bakura, Wild Space near the Outer Rim_ **

She ran as fast as she could and jumped.

Her hands gripped the window of the building tightly, her feet found support on the wall and with the impulse of the Force she threw herself upward holding on to the upper window and repeating the process until she reached the top of the building. Annika's muscles burned, but she kept going, sweat was now covering her face. The sounds of blasters and starfighters across the sky filled her ears.

Annika did the same again running forward and jumping to the next building, with more effort this time, she climbed up, taking advantage of the Force to go faster. When she reached the terrace, she looked up and visualized the Republic.

The LAAT/i gunships carrying troopers descended the sky under the attack of the Vulture-class fighters, but the Republic had its fighters against them. Dozens of LAAT/is scattered across the skies in different directions, Annika looked east and, in the distance, she saw one of the canals that cut through Sallis and ran for miles outside the city, the remaining fleeing population following its path.

She walked to the edge of the building and observed below, an open plaza served as a battlefield, on the right side, the droids marched and fired, on the left side, Annika realized with fascination who they should be. It was the first time she was seeing what her brother had explained to her as the Republic's clone army; their armor was white with blue marks.

They were behind rubbles for cover, they seemed to be handling very well. Annika remained watching with curiosity for a few minutes, however, she noticed that the Separatist troops on the west side not visible to the troopers had gained reinforcements with super battle droids and a thousand more B1 battle droids. To her astonishment, Annika realized that they had split into side streets and they were setting what looked like a trap.

The army of the Republic had quite a lot of forces there, Annika pondered that they probably knew more droids were coming but if they didn’t, the attack would take them by surprise. _I must help_, she thought, _I must warn them_. She felt a strong determination, she was about to enter a conflict that wasn’t hers. _It might not be_, she thought, taking a deep breath, _but it wasn't the Jedi either and they got involved_, _those are people_,_ it's the Republic,_ _they need help_.

Annika grabbed her lightsabers from her belt and jumped down.

***

Fives squeezed his DC-17 double pistols and fired.

He shot down droids in his path with agility, they were on some wide avenue that allowed more troops, including AT-TEs, to fight. The ground assault seemed to be in their favor, they were taking down the droid army with great ease, but Fives knew there was nothing 'ease' at war. He crouched behind a fallen wall with his brothers as more shots were fired. General Skywalker had landed on the south side of the city with half of Torrent Company, while the rest which Fives was with, went north.

"More at two hundred," Echo's voice warned through the intern communicator of their helmets.

Fives spun in the said direction and saw the super battle droids approaching through another street, he got up and ran in the opposite direction to get cover on the other side as his 501st brothers fired. Fives removed a thermal detonator from his utility belt and launched toward the street where the super battle droids came, there was a loud explosion and pieces of droids flew high, some remained, and they finished them.

The troopers parted from those on the wide avenue to advance down a side street, though their helmet would lessen the sound of battle, it was still uncomfortable and difficult to hear. Fives didn't know if he would ever get used to it - if he would have time for such a thing. They crossed the small street and into what was a large and wide plaza, another part of the legion already behind the wreckages. Fives ran towards them as he fired and threw himself to the ground before a blaster bolt had a chance to hit him.

"Things don't look so bad here," he said as he crouched beside Jesse, who was already there.

"And I hope it keeps this way," he said.

“Then there won't be any fun, Jesse!” Hardcase said, shooting his Z-6 rotary blaster cannon.

Bakura was a beautiful city in the eyes of Fives, but the war was taken to the neutral planet and all looked like chaos, with destruction taking over and fading away the beauty of the city. He was grateful that there were no civilians right where they were now, but it was hard not to see the bodies of different species scattered everywhere. _This is war,_ he thought, _it happens._ Fives fired his pistols several times at the droids, they were now dwindling, and the fight was apparently in their favor. The clone troopers who weren't so lucky fell to the ground wounded or dead and Kix hurried to save as much as he could, Fives admired his brother's persistence, he wouldn't give up.

Fives used his helmet's range finder to view the distance beyond the droids and notice, not with surprise, that they were being reinforced by two AAT tanks along with B1 droids and super battle droids.

“Second wave coming!” he warned, recharging his pistols.

“We need reinforcements!” said someone.

But there was no way, they would have to retreat.

“We have to—"

Fives didn’t finish his sentence because the words disappeared from his lips as a figure landed gracefully in front of them with two lightsabers of colors that Fives hadn’t seen a Jedi use before - purple and white. It was a woman, he realized soon after. He frowned, they weren’t expecting another Jedi with reinforcements, but apparently, she had no one with her, she was alone, and Fives noticed that she wore ordinary civilian clothing. All the clone troopers stopped for a moment with faces that Fives imagined were just like his, surprise and confusion.

The woman headed towards the remaining droid forces and cut them off with an ease that only the Jedi could do with their lightsabers, she jumped high and finished off the five of the super battle droids. She ran back to them before the second wave in the distance approached.

"I didn't expect another General," Echo said, through their helmets and they all agreed.

The woman stopped in front of the wreckages and Fives stood up with his brothers, she had a serious face with furrowed brows and she strangely reminded him of General Skywalker. She had blond hair that was tied back, didn't have a braid that indicated her as Padawan and consequently as Commander, which made everyone sure she was General.

“You all need to retreat,” she said, her voice firm with authority. "They are dividing themselves to catch you off guard.” 

She glanced back to make sure there were no droids around yet, Fives turned his head and exchanged looks with his brothers, now they had no choice, they would have to retreat, it was an order of a General. She had lightsabers and possessed the Force; Fives wouldn’t argue now.

“Come on, you heard the General!” Echo broke the silence of the moment inside their helmets and gestured with his hands to the street behind. “Everyone, move!”

The number of troopers gathered was much smaller than before and the fight in their favor was gone just as it had arrived. Fast and abruptly. Fives looked at the woman and she now was deflecting the blaster bolts from the second wave of droids that began to emerge from other alleys and side streets that opened in the plaza. Fives turned and ran toward his brothers, the woman doing the same soon after. As they passed for the security of the street, away from the plaza, Fives saw her raise one arm and two destroyed AAT tanks moved into the middle of the street, thus briefly interrupting the enemy's passage.

Fives couldn't remember which Jedi would help with reinforcements besides General Kenobi and Skywalker, who was currently on the south taking care of General Grievous. They continued to run for a few more meters until they were further from the previous spot, they all stopped and stared at the woman. She had turned off her lightsabers and kept them in her hands, she had a puzzled look, but at the same time a certain shyness beneath it.

“Tell me that isn’t just me," Hardcase said only to them. "But she looks like General Skywalker?"

True, Fives noticed now, she certainly had a feminine face, but her blue eyes, the shape of her jaw, and even her nose somehow resembled their General. She was a tall woman, enough to look at them eye to eye, but not the same height as them.

"Quiet Hardcase," Kix said.

"Uh," Fives began to say to her. “We didn't know we would have company now, General...”

He left the sentence hanging in the air waiting for her to say something, however, she frowned visibly confused for a second, then shook her head after understanding.

"Oh no," she answered. “I'm no General.”

It was Fives turn to be confused, but his comlink on his vambrace chimed and he quickly answered.

"Fives," Rex's voice said. "We're heading towards you; General Skywalker will be sending reinforcements."

“Understood, Captain,” he said, and the comlink was turned off.

When he returned to the woman, she stared at him with wide eyes.

“Skywalker?” she asked.

"Ah, do you know him, ma'am?"

"Of course," she said hesitantly. “He... is my brother.”

This time the incredulity was expressed on each clone's face underneath their helmets, and the perplexed exclamations of each were heard by their internal communicators.

“That explains the similarity between the two,” Hardcase said.

“The General has a sister?” Jesse's voice was shocked.

“What?” Kix exclaimed, incredulously.

“Is that true?” Echo asked.

“I have no idea,” Fives answered.

Fives didn’t recall General Skywalker mentioning having a sister, in fact, he never talked about his own life as a Jedi, and Fives thought that if he had one, they would probably know. She had to be a Jedi, but he was doubting, if she was, she wouldn't be looking so confused at them and would have her legion accompanying her. But she was alone. If the rest of the clones standing there believed her, Fives couldn't tell, but they couldn't deny that she indeed resembled their General.

Her eyes scanned the troopers with restrained curiosity, it seemed to Fives that this was the first time she'd ever seen clones in her life. Unlike the reactions of other aliens and humans, she seemed both astonished and fascinated. It was almost funny.

A blast erupted behind and an AAT drove past the tanks the woman had placed there, making their way through the wreckage, followed by B1 droids and super battle droids.

“Go!” she shouted, turning on both lightsabers she began deflecting the laser bolts. “I’ll hold them.”

Fives thought for a moment to stay too but they would be more helpful in obeying the strange woman. He hit a few droids with his pistols and ran with the rest of the troopers to another street that led onto the avenue from which Republic forces held the wave of seemingly endless droids. Fives hated how they never seemed to end. He glanced once more at the woman and then ran again.

***

Annika had never felt so energetic, so confident that she was doing the right thing in joining the battle, so… belonged; It was a new sensation and one she received with pleasure. Fight. Yes, that was what was making her ecstatic and guiding her steps toward the droids to rip their heads off. For a moment she wondered what she would do if they were humans, would she be fighting like that to destroy them as she was with the droids? She didn’t know.

She glanced back just in time to see the clone troopers running out of sight as she deflected the blaster bolts, the strong smell of plasma filled her nostrils. Annika concentrated on the Force flooding through her and stretching out her right arm, she sent a shockwave that hit the tank strong enough to throw it backward, causing it to smash droids in its way. Annika sighed with the effort and turned to run in the direction the clones had gone.

On the left side of the avenue the droid’s forces were advancing and on the right side, the clones were retreating. Annika couldn't tell which ones were with her back at the plaza, but she recognized two who used pistols instead of riffles and had different armors. Using the lightsabers to block the blaster bolts, she hurried towards them and noticed the helmets of the other troopers spinning in her direction as they saw her for the first time. Everyone was behind rubbles as a cover, sadly she noticed the bodies lying on the battlefield. Dead clones. Annika didn't know them, but that only motivated her to destroy more droids.

“There’s too many!” she shouted over the loud sound of battle to the two clones with the pistols right behind her. 

“The reinforcement is coming!” answered one of them, Annika turned her head to try to guess whose voice was that from, when she heard the loud noise of engines and looked up to the sky.

The BTL-B Y-wing fighters advanced rapidly and bombarded the regions around the battle and multiple explosions occurred, the clones shouted in euphoria. The only thing Annika did was cough as the smoke dissipated in her direction. The clones advanced, two AT-TEs walked again and gunshots were fired with accuracy. Annika didn't think twice, her feet went forward, and she attacked. She didn't know how much time had passed, it could have been ten minutes or ten hours, she didn't care, her body wasn’t complaining, and her instinct kept telling her to fight. And she continued. 

She had started to get used to ripping off the droid’s heads when she noticed the other reinforcements coming on all sides, on the streets that opened onto the main avenue, new troops were emerging. Annika visualized that their armor was yellow and looking ahead, farther on, what she saw made her eyes widen and she momentarily stopped her fighting in shock.

Accompanied by troopers in blue and yellow armor, Anakin and Obi-Wan were advancing and destroying droids with great ease. She had been so focused on the battlefield that she didn't felt their presence, much less her brother's. Anakin was now facing her direction, slashing super battle droid with agility, and as he looked up, he seemed to see her because his face turned perplexed. Annika saw his lips move as he pronounced her name, Obi-Wan after finishing with droids by his side, looked at him confused and followed his apprentice's gaze, only to be even more shocked.

Her right thigh was suddenly taken with a burning sensation and a stinging pain erupted, Annika let out a scream and staggered backward. Looking down, she saw what a blaster bolt had caused; smoke came from the small wound with the smell of her burned flesh. Annika scowled angrily.

“Kriffing hell.”

She blocked more blaster bolts and advanced on the droids in front of her, stopping only when the stinging pain was too much and she had to grasp her leg, she felt warm blood slip through her fingers, it wasn’t too much, but it was enough to get stained in her clothes. Strangely, she noticed that the sound of battle around had been reduced and looking up, she saw that all the remaining droids had been decimated. Only the clone troopers now walked around; that's when Anakin ran towards her.

“Annika!” he called, concerned.

His sister stared him in relief as he approached.

"I didn't know you were a General!" It was the first thing that came to her mind to say.

He didn't seem to hear that. "You got shot," he said, worriedly.

Annika shook her head. “I'll be fine.”

Anakin placed his lightsaber on his belt and hugged Annika aside, taking her arm and putting over his shoulder so she could walk with support. She was taken by surprise, but didn’t protest, trying to walk alone now would be more difficult, it was increasingly hard to ignore the pain.

“I need help here!” he said, gesturing to his sister. He gave her an incredulous sideways glance. "I can't believe it's you."

Annika tried to smile, but all she did was grimace. "Is it my impression or something is always making us meet again and again?"

Anakin gazed her and despite the worry in his eyes, he was able to smile.

“Here, sir!” Called a clone trooper, he waved indicating a wreck that Annika could sit on.

They walked slowly, with Annika keeping her lips pressed to prevent a grunt of pain from escaping. She kept one hand on her thigh, and it was now wet with blood. The waving clone had a red Republic symbol on his right arm indicating that he was a medic. With kindness, Anakin helped her to sit down.

“Thank you.” She let out a sigh.

"Well," The medic trooper dropped his bag on the floor and opened it. "Let's have a look at this."

As he examined her thigh, Annika saw Obi-Wan walking toward them, he was being accompanied on either side of him by a trooper in yellow armor and one in blue armor. She noticed two more behind them, both clones she'd met earlier; one of them had a hand mark on his breastplate while the other had different drawings on his helmet. Annika found interesting how each one had marks that distinguished them, as well as the Force that was unique to all troopers. 

"How do you—" Anakin began to say but stopped when his master approached.

“I'll put some bacta and a bandage,” The medic said, he applied the solution on her thigh after giving a quick clean. The feeling was refreshing, and she thanked mentally. "But this will need a little more than that. When we return, you’ll be better assisted.” 

Annika nodded to him, though she didn't understand the returning part well, she hadn’t thought of going with them. Now without a ship, she couldn't deny it either. Obi-Wan stopped beside Anakin and now everyone had their eyes on her, Annika had to admit that she felt a little shy.

"By the Force," Obi-Wan said. “That's what I call a surprise”

"Believe me, Obi-Wan," Annika said. “This wasn’t planned this time.”

"Oh, I believe you," he answered, honest, and instead of a disapproving look, she received a warm one that made her feel better. "I imagine you were on the wrong planet at the wrong time."

“That's right.”

Turning her eyes to Anakin, he seemed happy, a face that indicated contentment, she couldn’t tell if it was related to her or their victory in battle. Even so, she smiled, and he reciprocated. Somehow, they both understood their unplanned meet there, it was as if something was constantly pulling them close, an invisible force. They felt strong in each other's presence, very strong.

As the medic trooper rose after finishing bandaging Annika, she realized that she hadn’t yet seen their faces either. If they were clones, then obviously their faces should be the same. The ones accompanying Obi-Wan on either side removed their helmets, and the two behind did the same.

Annika stared at them for the first time.

They were younger than she expected, probably the same or near her age; the trooper in the yellow armor had a scar on his face and another had blond hair. They all had firm faces that emanated confidence and determination, with friendly brown eyes. _So that's how they all look like,_ she thought, _young soldiers_. _How old would they be? _

“Are you all right?” she asked, gesturing toward the two she had met before.

"Yes, ma’am," replied the one with the hand mark on his breastplate.

"We're fine," replied the other, and Annika noticed that he had the number five tattooed on his temple. “Thanks for the help, ma'am.”

She smiled nodding and he returned politely. A slight smile with closed lips, a sign of sympathy; Annika wouldn't say that out loud, but smiles looked good on their austere faces.

“Anakin, we still have to deal with more Separatist forces,” Obi-Wan said to his apprentice. "With Grievous escape, the odds of winning are in our favor."

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan with brows furrowed, he let out a slight sigh.

“Of course, Master,” he answered, and his eyes fell on his sister. "Annika, we'll have to stay here a little longer, the battle isn't over yet. I will ask you to be taken to the Resolute so you can have medical treatment. The planetary blockade has already been destroyed.”

Her brother waved to the clone pair Annika had helped. "Fives, Echo, which one of you would be available to take my sister to the Resolute?" he asked.

"I can do it, sir," The clone with the tattooed temple spoke. The clone brothers exchanged glances of acknowledgment.

“I’ll stay, sir,” The one with the hand mark said.

Anakin nodded, he turned and touched his sister's shoulder gently. "When we're done here, I'll see you right away, okay?"

“It’s all right, Anakin,” she answered. “No problem. And thank you.”

Her brother returned a smile and with that, he and Obi-Wan went through the avenue with the other clones that had accompanied them from the beginning. Annika sighed as she followed them with her eyes until she lost their sight, _may the Force be with you Annie_, her brother had been fighting this war since the beginning, she shouldn't worry, he would come back.

“How do you feel?”

She was taken away from her thoughts with Fives' voice. “Sore,” she said, frowning.

“I understand,” he said, cutting the distance between them with small steps. “I've had some bad blaster shots too. They’re annoying. But you’ll recover quickly.”

Annika pondered for a moment how many times he might have been injured. _So young and amid this war already, how many battles he must have fought? _

“Can you get up?” he asked, pointing to her leg.

“I'll try.”

Annika wiped her bloody hands on her pants and leaned against the rubbles she was sitting on and stood up, not enjoying how her arms seemed to weaken with her weight, it was worse than she expected. When she tried to move her injured leg, she faltered and Annika was sure she would fall to the floor, but large, firm hands grabbed her forearms maintaining her balance. Facing the trooper, Annika gazed him closely, she was a tall woman and could look at him without having to bring her head up, almost at the same level as him. He had a well-trimmed goatee, a firm and defined face, and eyes with a strong look. _So young,_ she thought again. Fives arched an eyebrow and Annika felt embarrassed.

"I think I should help, ma'am."

“Of course. Thank you” she agreed. “Please, call me Annika.”

Fives fastened his helmet onto his utility belt, he positioned himself beside her, putting one of his arms around her waist and adjusting Annika’s right arm over his shoulders. He stepped forward prompting Annika to imitate him, and she did, letting her injured leg foot lightly touch the floor, she tried not to grimace but was probably failing. Even with the temporary bacta, the medic trooper had put on, the pain was still persistent.

"Let's walk to the LAAT/i over there." Fives pointed to the ship a few meters ahead.

“Okay.”

He gave her a sideways look. “Don't worry, you'll be treated by Sergeant Coric,” he told her. “He had to stay at Resolute this time. The trooper who you met minutes ago was Kix, if he wasn’t so busy here, he would have given you more attention.”

“Oh, no problem.” Annika didn't want him to pay her too much attention when she knew there were injured troopers that needed more care. “I appreciate it.”

He smiled on the corner of his lips, his face was very close to Annika's and she kept her gaze straight ahead, avoiding grimacing at the pain.

***

Fives kept his hand steady on the General's sister’s waist, she was walking faster than he expected, which indicated it wasn't that bad. However, Fives could see from her face when he glanced sideways that she was frowning and compressing her lips every time the foot of her injured leg touched the floor.

Fives had to admit to himself, he was curious about her, General Skywalker seemed very surprised by her presence, and the same could be said of Kenobi. He understood why Skywalker didn’t mention his personal life, it wasn’t his obligation and no trooper needed to know about it. But Fives was intrigued, was she a Jedi who was on the wrong planet at the wrong time? She had denied being a General, removing the possibility that she had a legion under her command. So that meant she wasn’t a Jedi or simply didn't want to command as others did? He didn't know the answers to any of his questions.

They were approaching the LAAT/i, some troopers turned their helmets to watch the scene unfolding there. Fives was certain that soon after the news of a sister to the General would be in the mouth of every man in the 501st. When they reached the gunship, Annika leaned against its entrance with one hand and looked in with curious eyes. _This must be the first time she sees one in close range_, he thought, watching her.

Annika still had one of her arms wrapped around Fives's shoulders and when she looked back at him, she blinked looking suddenly embarrassed. She turned so that she could face him, Fives understood the movement and released his arm from her waist. Annika kept her hand on the LAAT/i.

"We didn't greet each other properly, I believe," she observed, sympathetically.

Fives returned the sympathy. "My name is Fives," he said, and she held out her hand and Fives took it.

"It's a pleasure." She squeezed his hand and he returned the gesture. Annika had a firm grip. She looked thoughtful. “Nice name.”

Fives smiled. “Yours too,” he said. "But I must admit, it's not unique. It's very similar to General Skywalker. No offense.”

He was relieved to hear her chuckle, sometimes Fives didn't remember that he should think twice before speaking. Annika didn't seem bothered by his words, but rather amused. “None taken,” she said, shaking her head. “My mother apparently wanted me and my brother to be as similar as possible, even in name.”

It was hard to imagine General Skywalker having a mother and sister, _they had been a family, hadn’t they? _He thought, _but now what?_ He already knew the answer, at least about the General not being part of that family anymore since he was a Jedi, he couldn’t say the same for his sister, and chose not to think about it because it was none of his business.

She was looking at him with empathy and a hint of curiosity. Unlike General Skywalker, she had lighter eyes of an eccentric blue, _they’re pretty_, Fives thought.

Releasing the hands that remained in a squeeze, Fives helped Annika again as she left the LAAT/i support and they both entered the ship, followed by other troopers. He pointed upwards to where she should hold herself, Fives stood by her side still holding Annika with his right arm. She muttered a thank you.

“No problem, ma’a—” Fives smiled slightly. “Annika.”


	4. Chapter 4

**The Resolute, Wild Space near the Outer rim.**

Fives kept his arm firmly around her waist.

The trip to the Resolute was a bit turbulent, and it wasn’t for no reason, they had had a space battle to free Bakura from its blockade not too long ago and there were still Separatists to deal with. However, the LAAT/i was being escorted by two ARC-170 starfighters of the Republic by the command of the General himself so that his sister could reach the ship without problems.

Annika didn't look apprehensive to Fives's eyes, her face was neutral and her eyes scanned the gunship curiously, she didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that her body collided with Fives's every second, she actually seemed lost in her own thoughts. Fives would have started a conversation if he had any ideas in mind, but it wouldn't be much help either, they'd have to speak loudly to hear each other under the sounds of the engines.

The pilot's voice announced that they had arrived, the LAAT/i gave one last jolt when entering the Resolute and landed. The doors opened and the troopers that had gone with them got out first.

“And we’re here,” Fives said.

Annika had her eyes to the hangar and as soon as she heard his voice, she nodded. “Ah, yes.”

She dropped her hands from the upper support and returned with her left arm to his shoulder, together they left the LAAT/i into the hangar bay and this time Annika let out an audible exclamation of surprise and Fives glanced her way. She stared with wide eyes at the huge bustling hangar that was the Resolute's, Fives smiled. It was amusing to see her reaction because it was definitely the first time she'd ever entered a Venator-class Star Destroyer.

Fives noticed the stares they were receiving from his brothers as he and Annika walked calmly through them, both from the 501st and 212th, who shared the same ship for Bakura's mission. Some had their helmets on and it was noticeable when they stared at them from the movement their heads did and the way they momentarily stopped their activities, those without helmets were frowning and their lips moved to say something to the brother closer to them. Fives sighed; he knew that the moment he put on his helmet his internal communicator wouldn’t stop. He didn’t judge them; he was as curious as his brothers.

Annika noticed too; her eyes returned their stares but with curiosity instead of confusion. Fives couldn't tell if she was bothered or shy, but she didn't seem to be either. They kept walking slowly down the hangar toward the medical bay.

"I believe it's not very common for a limping woman to walk around the Resolute, right?" she said, clearly talking about the troopers.

Fives shook his head. "I guess not. I think they're more surprised by the fact that I'm helping someone." he joked.

Annika smirked. "So, you have a reputation of not helping those in need?"

This time Fives chuckled. "Never," he said. "I'm helping you now, aren't I? I wouldn’t leave a helpless wounded lady in the middle of a battlefield.”

Annika laughed out loud and Fives enjoyed the fact that she thought his words were funny enough to laugh. _I’m sure we will get along very well if we keep like this_, he thought amused.

"The _lady _your General ordered you to help," she said.

"But he didn’t need to ask," Fives continued. “I would help either way if you accepted.”

“Oh, really?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. Fives nodded eagerly, a smirk on his lips. They were entering the corridors of the Resolute on their way to the medical bay, oblivious to the troopers now watching them with visible curiosity for the amused pair. “I would accept, a help is always good.”

"Thank you," he said. "I feel better to have your answer."

“I'm glad to know that.”

They shared a look and chuckled, shaking their heads. _She has a sense of humor, I liked it. _

Fives led her to a door that opened as they approached, inside there were a few beds where two troopers slept but they didn’t wake up with their arrival. He led Annika to the last bed facing the viewport.

“Thank you,” she said as he helped her to sit.

“You’re welcome,” Fives said. His eyes scanned the room. "Coric shouldn't be far away. I'll be right back, okay?"

She nodded and Fives headed for the exit. The wounded from the battle on Bakura hadn’t yet fully arrived and he knew that soon the medical bay would be probably full, unfortunately. He searched the nearby rooms only to find troopers grumbling or sleeping, no one liked to be in the medbay, especially when it was an impatient trooper that had Coric and Kix to keep them from leaving early.

His comlink on his vambrace chimed and he answered. “Arc Trooper Fives.”

"Fives," Called the voice of some brother he didn't recognize.

“Who is it?”

"Who is the woman you kidnapped this time?"

Even though he was an Arc Trooper, some of his brothers still didn’t treat him with the respect a superior officer should receive, he doubted that anyone would talk to Rex like that. He was sure that voice came from a shinie, he would recognize instantly if it had been a closer brother to him. 

Fives rolled his eyes and answered without preamble. "The woman you refer to is the General's sister." He could hear exclamations from other voices along with that of the curious trooper. “And you better show some respect.”

Fives ended the call before the trooper could answer. Echo would have given a much more polite and formulated answer but Fives was out of patience for this now. Maybe being a little like Captain Rex would make all these shinies respect him, he made a mental note to start being more severe with them too.

Hearing voices, he turned in a corridor and encountered an angry Coric vehemently scolding a Hardcase that kept its usual carefree face, accompanied by a Jesse who was clearly enjoying the situation his brother was in.

"How many times will I have to patch up your ribs in less than a month, Hardcase?" Coric said, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable.”

"I was just destroying a tank," Hardcase said, unshaken. "How could I predict that its wreckage would hit me?"

Hardcase kept his right arm on his chest and his face frowned in pain. Fives would have laughed if it hadn't been tragic. His brothers stopped the discussion when they saw him.

"Fives," Jesse said, eyes anxious. “How is she?”

“She’s fine,” Fives nodded toward Coric. “And I was looking for you to help her.”

"So, the General has indeed a sister?" Coric asked rhetorically, as they continued their step toward the medical bay.

“All the Jedi had a family once, right?’ Jesse said. “It shouldn’t be a surprise that the General had someone too."

"Did you notice how much they look alike?" Hardcase said, wincing as he clutched his chest. “They look like twins.”

“They aren't _that_ much alike,” Fives muttered, remembering Annika's light eyes.

They approached the room she was in and the door opened, she had her body facing the viewport and as soon as they emerged, she turned around. For the second time since seeing her in Bakura, Annika seemed shy staring expectantly at them.

“Hi,” she greeted with a low voice.

“Hello, ma’am,” Coric said. He furrowed his eyebrows for Hardcase and indicated him to lie down on the bed next to Annika’s. “And you better remain still right here.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Hardcase grimaced but managed to smile at Annika. “I'm Hardcase, ma’am, it's a pleasure to meet you.”

“Will you be fine?” she asked worriedly.

“I will,” Hardcase said. “Nothing to worry about.”

“This one here has already broken all the bones in his body, he’s used to it,” Jesse said, arms crossed over his chest. “I'm Jesse. It's a pleasure too, ma’am.”

"It's my pleasure to meet you all," Her eyes went over everyone. “And you can call me Annika.”

“I'm sergeant Coric, Annika,” The medic introduced himself. “I'm one of the medics responsible for the Torrent Company,” Coric moved to her side. “Can I see your wound?”

Annika blinked and glanced at the bed next to hers. “But what about him?”

Coric shook his head nonchalantly. "He'll survive a few more hours with his broken ribs. As Jesse said, he’s used to it.”

Hardcase opened his mouth to retort but a slap of Jesse on his feet made him close his lips and roll his eyes. Fives moved to face Annika's bed and watched as the medic briefly inspected her thigh, Kix's bandage was now stained red, indicating the open wound. Coric stood up muttering something and headed for the cabinet on the other side.

"I'll leave you to your work, Coric,” Fives said. As much as he would like to stay with Annika and keep talking, the medic needed his space and Fives would be of much help outside with other troopers.

“I'm going with you,” Jesse said.

Annika stared at Fives.

“If you need something do not hesitate to call me, okay?” Fives said seriously. "You can ask any of my brothers and they will do it.”

“Thanks again, Fives,” she smiled shyly.

“As I said before, no problem, Annika.”

He and Jesse nodded a goodbye to her and headed for the door but before leaving, Fives looked briefly back only to see Annika following him with her pretty blue eyes.

***

The moment his eyes landed on her, Coric didn’t doubt that she was the General's sister.

He had distrusted the troopers who returned from Bakura with the wounded talking about a woman who had joined their battle and claimed to be General Skywalker's sister. He had been skeptical, only listening with furrowed brows while helping the wounded toward the medical bay. Coric knew what some of the men were like with gossip, if something happened in the middle of the 501st the men _would _speak and, in many cases, it wasn’t necessarily true, the reason why Coric remained suspicious. But with the arrival of Hardcase and Jesse, who were together when the woman appeared according to them, Coric finally believed. If there was one thing Hardcase and Jesse didn't do was lie when they were being persistent about something.

Coric brought the medkit to the table by Annika's bed, her face still facing the door where Fives and Jesse had left, apparently absorbed in her own thoughts. He saw she had two lightsabers on her belt but had no Padawan braids, which puzzled him as well since Jesse had said she denied being a General like her brother. _General Skywalker all this time had a Jedi sister who never happened to fight by his side?_ He wouldn’t find it unusual if the Jedi Council forbade the two of them to be together.

"Annika, could you lie down so I can treat you better?" he asked gently.

The General's sister turned her face as if she had just noticed that Coric was there. “Of course.”

Doing as she was asked, Annika adjusted herself in the bed and her eyes fell on the medic as he rummaged through the medkit for his utensils. Turning back to her, Coric removed the bandage on her thigh and observed cautiously the wound; the bacta placed by Kix helped the situation by leaving the small hole caused by the blaster less swollen. However, the wound had begun to bleed steadily, staining her pants and going down her thigh toward the mattress.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Coric asked.

“Not really,” Annika looked down at her thigh and frowned, then at Coric again. “Okay, it hurts, but not much.”

Coric returned a gentle smile. "It’s okay, I'll inject you with a local anesthesia and you won't feel a thing."

He did as he said, Annika didn't react when the needle was injected but sighed as the immediate effect brought her relief. Coric promptly set himself to the task of cleaning the wound, he had to cut parts of her pants around the blaster shot and mentally reminded himself not to forget to get her a new change of clothes, which she would surely need. Noticing how Annika kept her eyes lost on the ceiling and how her fingers drummed over her chest, Coric thought it would be best to start a conversation to take away the awkward silence between them.

“How do you feel?”

Annika pondered for a minute before answering him. “I feel good,” she said. “I saw Anakin again.”

That wasn’t the answer he was expecting her to say; Coric looked up briefly from her wound, Annika's eyes kept fixed on the ceiling with a small wistful smile at the corners of her lips. He turned his attention back to the wound where he started the necessary suture.

"So, it’s been a while since you last saw him?"

He had to look up at her again when the answer took longer than the last. The smile she had was gone, she looked visibly sad now, her eyebrows furrowed in a conflicted expression and Coric could tell that because if there was one thing he was good at, it was realizing when his brothers suffered internally with their thoughts. And that was exactly what Annika looked like; desolated, confused, melancholic. _Maybe I shouldn't have touched on that_, he admonished himself, turning his eyes back to his work.

“Yes.” Her answer came with a thin and low voice.

Coric nodded without looking at her, even though he knew she didn't have her eyes on him to see his gesture either. He thought it was best not answer and not to delve into the subject that Annika apparently didn't seem to want to touch. But to his surprise, she continued.

"The last time I saw him was right after the Battle of Geonosis," she explained; Coric kept his ears sharp for her voice but his eyes focused on treating her wound. “I went to visit him at the Jedi Temple. I knew something was wrong.”

_She didn't live there?_

“He was hurt, and I had to go after him. The Jedi Masters informed me that it was the last time I would be allowed to see him,” Annika sighed, and from the corner of his eyes, Coric noticed one of her hands clench into a fist. “That I shouldn’t contact him; never again, that's what they_ really_ meant.”

Coric turned to the medkit to get the bacta.

"To see Anakin again in such a sudden way—" she hesitated. “It was a relief.”

Coric applied the solution to Annika's thigh. He remained silent, still waiting for her to continue but after a few minutes without hearing her voice, he then decided to respond. “This is certainly good,” He lifted his face to her, and Annika looked away from the ceiling to stare him. "I’m glad to hear you were able to see him again."

“Oh, I’m sorry if I talk too much,” she said, looking embarrassed for the first time. “Sorry to bother you with my problems, sometimes I speak without thinking twice.”

“It’s alright, Annika,” he assured her. "I don't mind. I'm used to listening to the troopers every day after battles. You can talk as much as you want if it makes you feel better.”

She just smiled, observing him as he kept his hands busy taking care of her wound.

Coric had barely met her and knew more than he had intended when he started the conversation, he could already deduce that her relationship with the Jedi Masters probably wasn’t very good for her to be forbidden to see her brother. _She said never again_, he remembered intrigued, _this is cruel_. _Why would they do that if she was also a Jedi and it was inevitable that they would meet again at some point?_ Unless... He wouldn't ask her that, it would be bold of him to want to know such information that he had nothing to do with. Coric kept his curious thoughts to himself, if he was right and she wasn't a Jedi, then the Masters' decision made more sense but still wasn’t less cruel.

He didn't know if General Skywalker had any other family members besides Annika, in a way that she wouldn't be alone without a loved one around. However, the way her sympathetic face suddenly turned into a desolate sadness when his question made her speak more than he had expected, Coric was sure that it might not matter to her if there was another family member because it was visibly apparent at that moment that she cared much more about General Skywalker. _I'm sorry if it’s this_, he wanted to tell her. But that was how the Jedi worked, no attachments, everyone knew. General Skywalker was one whether she wanted or not. Annika understood, Coric was sure, _and maybe it's because she understands that she got so sad_. There was no way to fight against it. 

"He looks pretty comfortable, doesn't he?" Annika asked.

“Excuse me?”

Coric looked at her and Annika waved her hand to the bed next to hers and then Coric remembered his brother. “Ah.”

Hardcase slept peacefully, snoring lightly. Coric had to smile. Sometimes he was too much by the book to the Torrent Company troopers when it was about their health, especially when they kept insisting on taking foolish risks for the fifteenth time in less than a standard week. As much as they had been created to endure battle for hours, there were times when a soft bed to lie down was the best thing that could happen after the extreme exhaustion they had to tolerate. No one complained about their free time to sleep when they got to stay in the medical bay. He would make sure Hardcase had a lot of time to enjoy his bed. He laughed inwardly. Coric knew very well that Hardcase wouldn’t like being forced to rest for any longer than he thought necessary - for Hardcase, only a little bit of bacta was enough to return to the battlefield. _That’s what happens when your growth acceleration chamber is leaked,_ he shook his head.

"I should wake him up," Coric said. "But I'll let him rest first, only because I'm in a good mood."

“He seems to need it,” Annika said.

Coric turned to the medkit to catch the final bandage to close completely Annika’s wound, she looked more relaxed. She kept following his movements carefully as he finished his work with agility.

"The painting on your armor is very beautiful and unique," she said.

Coric smirked. “You think? Well, thank you.”

“The ones wearing yellow too,” she continued. "But blue is my favorite color so I must admit yours are the coolest."

Coric had to grin this time, feeling proud. _Commander Cody would love to hear this. _"I can speak for all my brothers," he said. “We are happy to hear that.”

“What's Anakin's battalion name?"

Coric finally finished bandaging her thigh and this time he was able to answer looking at her, the smile still on his lips. “The 501st,” he said. “This is the name of the blue legion that General Skywalker commands.”

She smiled and repeated his words.

“501st.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3


	5. Chapter 5

**The Resolute, Bakura's orbit.**

She didn't get a chance to see Fives or Jesse again.

Annika was able to sleep, just like Hardcase, after being treated by the medic and she mentally thanked him for that moment, since she was tired, and her aching muscles were asking for a truce. She was awakened hours later by an amused Anakin telling her that she had slept more than 10 hours. With one last warning from Coric about the need for her to rest, Anakin led his sister to her quarters that he provided to her. 

Annika had a chance to give one last good-bye to a well-rested Hardcase. She no longer had pain in her thigh, and she had been able to limp slightly, but Anakin insisted for her to lean on him and knowing well her brother’s stubbornness, Annika hadn’t argued.

She was lying in her bunk after a hot shower with a datapad in one hand on some HoloNet channel; Annika sighed. She had been very grateful when Anakin had brought her a change of clothes that he said Coric had sent to her. Anakin also had ordered even more clothes from Bakura and they filled her room’s wardrobe, it was more than necessary; _as if Anakin planned for me to stay here for a long time_. She chose to wear comfortable loose-fitting black trousers, as well as a dark green long-sleeved blouse. All the clothes were simple and comfortable, and Annika had greatly thanked her brother.

They had been on Bakura’s orbit for two standard days, since then she and Anakin had had lots of conversations at dinner time, the only moment he stayed with her and they both ate together. He was happy, and so was she, for they were finally seeing each other again, they were doing what the Jedi Masters didn’t want them to do; be _together._

Annika kept believing it was the Force’s fault. She was proud of Anakin, he had become a Jedi and he was now a General who led troopers to defend the Republic; It was admirable for her. _If I had become a Jedi_, she had pondered the first night she was with her brother, _I would probably have a legion to command as well._

She hadn’t left her room since being taken there by her brother. Anakin had said that after leaving Bakura they would go to Coruscant and they would be on shore leave for a few weeks if everything went as planned. He seemed quite eager to return to the ecumenopolis, she doubted it was just to return to the Jedi Temple. Annika still needed to talk to her Master, Esok, as she had been without contacting him since the first week of the Separatist blockade on Bakura. She would have to wait to be on Coruscant for that.

Looking at the datapad's chrono, she noticed that Anakin would soon be coming to bring her lunch. Annika was tired of being incubated in her room, lying on the bunk watching holo movies or reading various news about the war. She remembered Fives and wished he were there so she could have someone else to talk to when her brother wasn't; he had a sense of humor and she liked it, she felt comfortable with him. _If you need something do not hesitate to call me, okay? _She remembered his words, but Annika didn’t ask anyone to call him.

After leaving Bakura, it would be another week before they reached Coruscant, and Annika wanted to know the Resolute as well as to see the clones who had been very kind to her. Anakin had denied her requests to leave her quarters as she needed another day's rest. Annika had rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm in a playful manner. He looked shocked and they laughed together. _Just like in the old days_. _In the days when we were Padawans and all we did together was laugh._

She almost felt sad. There were times when she almost missed her life in the Jedi Temple, but then she remembered the reason she left that life behind and all nostalgia was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

Annika got up from her bunk and headed for the door, she hesitated for a moment biting her lips in doubt as she remembered that her brother could come at any moment to bring her lunch. Shaking her head, Annika touched the door’s panel and left, her brother could look for her later.

The sound of the Resolute’s engines resonated faintly, voices emanated down the corridor and Annika decided to move towards them, she couldn't tell if they were clone trooper’s voices or other people. Earlier that day in her quarters, she had studied a holomap of the Venator ship and she was now trying to remember as much as possible.

Annika turned in a corridor and nearly collided right into a trooper.

“I’m sorry,” she said awkwardly, taking a step back.

The trooper looked as surprised as she was and he vehemently apologized.

“Oh, I’m sorry, ma'am,” he said. “I wasn't paying attention to where I was going.”

Looking at the armor on his breastplate, Annika instantly recognized him, and she smiled. “You’re one of the troopers I saw in Bakura, right?” she said. “The one with Fives.”

He smiled. “I'm, ma'am.”

"Oh please," Annika said. “Call me Annika.”

He nodded. “As you wish, Annika.”

“What's your name, trooper?” she asked curiously.

“Echo.”

“Nice to meet you, Echo. It’s good to see you again.”

“It’s a pleasure, Annika,” he said. “Thank you for your help in Bakura.”

"If you need help with anything else," she said, opening her arms. “Please, don’t hesitate to call me.”

She would do anything they asked if that meant she would be out of her room and busy. 

Echo nodded with his friendly smile still there. “I don’t doubt that,” he said. His eyes scanned the corridor behind Annika and then went back to her. “Are you without the General?”

“Yes.”

“Are going somewhere specific?” he asked. “If you need help, I'm here too.”

Annika nodded. She opened her mouth to answer and her eyes looked around. They were alone in the corridor, and the voices from before were no longer audible to her.

"Actually," Her eyes fell on him again. “I have nowhere to go. I just wanted to leave the quarters in where Anakin was keeping me captive.”

Echo chuckled. “I’m sure of it,” he said, sounding amused. "If Coric told him that you should rest, it's no wonder he kept you there."

"Yes, Anakin is very protective sometimes."

Echo narrowed his eyes. "If you have no specific place to go..." He was thoughtful. "Have you eaten already?”

Annika shook her head in denial.

"Would you like to have lunch in the mess hall now?" Echo asked.

“Yes, of course!”

Her answer came out more enthusiastically than she had intended, and Echo noticed but only smiled. Annika shook her head again.

"I really want to go somewhere else” she explained in her defense.

“I understand,” he said. Echo indicated the corridor ahead. “Come on, it's over there.”

Annika nodded and walked beside him. "How are Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase?" she asked. 

Echo glanced sideways at her. “Fives and Jesse are doing very well, believe me,” he answered. “Hardcase, on the other hand, remains stuck in the medical wing.”

Annika smirked. “At least he can sleep as much as he wants.”

“For Hardcase this is torture,” They both shared a chuckle. “Jesse and Fives are in the mess hall too.”

Annika blinked. “That's good.” They turned into another corridor, and this time Annika could hear voices again. “I'd like to see them too.”

"And if it's no problem for you," continued Echo. "There will be more troopers than just the two of them.”

Annika nodded. "This is no problem.”

Annika wished to know them, she wanted to know who were the men under her brother’s command. As much as their faces were identical, their Force was unique to each one of them. Glancing at Echo’s armor, she observed that his and Fives were different from the other troopers Annika had seen.

"Why is your armor different?" she asked, pointing, and Echo looked at himself. “Are you a special elite?”

Echo looked up at her. “I would say so,” he said, and Annika noticed a pride in his voice tone. “We are ARC Troopers. Advanced Recon Commandos. We are sent on combat missions that other clones can’t perform or we assist in missions, such as in Bakura. We don’t belong solely to a specific Company.”

“I understand.”

She would make sure that when she returned to her quarters, she would do thorough research on the Republic and its army. She thought she sounded like a curious naive child, but Echo didn't seem to care at all about her question or seemed to be judging her for not knowing such information.

The voices were now very audible, they turned again and with a few more steps, the door ahead opened and Annika was greeted with the sight of a large mess hall filled with blue and yellow armor, loud laughter filled her ears and the scent of fresh food rose through her nostrils.

“They are giving real food instead of ration cubes,” Echo said. “One of the reasons it's so crowded. The men are eager to go back to Coruscant.”

They clearly looked happy; she could tell that. Annika followed Echo on the line to get the tray and the foods, she recognized only one typical Bakuran dish while the rest must have been a mix of different foods, the smell was very good. She didn't care about the stares she was receiving from the troopers as she followed Echo right behind him. Annika was probably almost a "celebrity" being Anakin's sister, or rather General Skywalker’s sister.

Echo waited for her as Annika finished putting the food on her plate, and when she was done, he indicated to follow him. She was surprised when she passed the crowded tables and the troopers greeted her with a well-mannered "ma’am"; she returned with a nod and smile. Looking ahead, she saw a trooper in blue armor at a table in the background raise a hand and wave at both; she recognized him immediately, it was Jesse and he wasn’t alone.

As they approached, the two troopers who had their backs to them turned around. One had a medic symbol on his arm, but he wasn’t Coric and the other was Fives and his lips broadened in a smile. Sitting in front of them were Jesse and two more troopers that Annika recognized as she had seen them accompanying Obi-Wan and Anakin, her brother had talked about them in one of their conversations. The one in orange armor was Commander Cody and the other Captain Rex.

“Hello,” she said, next to Fives. "Do you mind If I seat here?"

“It’s perfectly fine,” Fives said, enthusiastically.

"Hey Annika," Jesse said, smiling. “It’s a surprise to see you around here, I didn't expect you’d be free from your rest so soon.”

“It’s good to see you all again.”

They nodded, Fives gave space on the bench so she could sit on his left side and Annika thanked him. Echo took the seat on her other side, leaving her in the middle of both ARC Troopers.

“Ma’am,” Annika’s eyes fell on the trooper in front of her; it was Captain Rex. “It’s good to know you're feeling better.”

“I say the same,” Commander Cody said, next to him.

"Commander," Annika’s hand leaned on to reach Cody, he returned the gesture with a strong squeeze. She moved to Rex. “Captain; nice to meet you both.”

“Nice to meet you too, ma'am,” Rex said, his grip was as strong as Cody's.

“Just Annika, please,” Her gaze fell on the medic sitting next to Fives. "I don't think I know you yet, trooper."

“We met in Bakura,” he said, nodding his head. “My name is Kix. How's your leg?”

“It's great,” Annika said. “I don't feel pain or any difficulty to walk.”

Apparently, it hadn’t been long since they were there, for their plates were still full. Annika's stomach growled loudly to her ears and she didn't wait any longer. She shoved a large amount of food into her mouth, making her cheeks bigger than she intended.

“Someone was hungry,” Fives muttered to her and Annika returned with a defensive look, trying not to smile. 

She answered after finally swallowing. "In my defense, I only ate last night with Anakin."

"Annika," Jesse called her. “Can I ask you a question?”

She looked at the medic and nodded. “Sure.”

He looked thoughtful and a little hesitant. “Why did you decide not to be a General or Commander to the Republic?” he asked, and all eyes fell on her. “I thought all Jedi should participate.”

Her answer came without preamble. “I’m not a Jedi.”

They stared at her; Kix and Jesse were the only ones who were visibly surprised, while Rex, Cody, Fives, and Echo had a neutral face as if they were already waiting for that answer somehow. _Anakin may have told them_, she supposed.

"General Skywalker explained that you left the Order as a child, didn't you?" Rex said, seriously, confirming Annika's suspicions about her brother telling them.

"Yes," she said. “Did he said something more, for example why I left?”

"No," Rex exchanged a look with Cody. “General Kenobi also said the same thing.”

“I understand.”

“And why did you leave?” Jesse asked.

“Jesse!” Rex intervened, giving a disapprovingly look at the trooper. “That's none of your business.”

“It’s all right, Captain,” Annika said, raising a hand. She gazed at each one of the troopers. "I left because I didn't agree with the Jedi Order and because I wanted to go back to my mother."

That was a part of the truth; Annika shrugged. Fives watched her with furrowed brows. Silence took over the table for a few minutes as they ate.

"General Skywalker has been in a much better mood since you showed up," Rex said, breaking the silence with a different subject. "He's always in a good mood when we’re heading back to Coruscant, but this time it's different if you know what I mean."

Annika felt happy. “And how is Anakin as a General?” she asked. 

Everyone exchanged glances with each other, a smirk forming on their mouths as their eyebrows rose.

"Well," Rex began, but Cody cut him off.

“_Reckless_ is the best definition.”

“Oh, really?” Annika arched an eyebrow. She wasn't surprised by the answer.

"He's a great General," Rex continued, glancing at the Commander, who just smiled. "He cares about everyone and as much as his tactics are bold… they work."

“And he’s reckless,” Cody repeated.

This time everyone laughed, and Annika couldn’t have imagined a better response coming from the person under Obi-Wan’s command, one of the most faithful Jedi to the Code that Annika had ever met. She pondered what he would be as a General too.

"There was a day General Skywalker threw Rex from a crumbling bridge to fall meters down," Fives said, amused. “I wish I could have seen that.”

“It was hilarious,” Kix said, his mouth full as he tried to hide a smile.

“He screamed too,” Jesse laughed.

"Maybe you two would like to volunteer to scout the perimeter all by yourselves in the next mission?" Rex said, his voice showing authority.

Both troopers shook their heads but kept the amused smile on their lips.

"You’re not a Jedi, Annika, but you still have lightsabers," Echo said. "Are they the same as when you were part of the Order?"

Annika was surprised by the specific question. “They aren’t. One of them I made myself and the other one I... found it.”

Echo nodded.

“What were you doing in Bakura before we arrived?” Fives asked, but he received no disapproval from the Captain for the question.

Annika took a sip of her juice before answering. “I had been stuck there for two weeks because of the planetary blockade. I had gone to the planet to bring a cargo that should have been delivered long ago.”

“And what did you work with?” Fives asked again.

Annika hesitated. "Uh..." She looked at the men. “I smuggled, kinda.”

Fives raised his eyebrow so high that it was comical to Annika.

"General Skywalker's sister is a smuggler?" Commander Cody questioned, visibly entertained. “This is a surprise.”

"I promise I only carried lifeless goods," she defended herself. “No living beings.”

“Death sticks?” Jesse joked, and Captain Rex rolled his eyes.

Annika had to let out a chuckle. "Perhaps I may have carried some, I can’t confirm or deny." She usually didn't open the boxes she carried; she only used the Force to check on them.

“What happened to your goods?” Kix asked.

"Well," Annika sighed in frustration. "They were blown up with my ship by the Separatists. _Di’kut shabuir _droids.” 

All eyes stared at her again and there was surprise mixed with almost comical perplexity, their mouths open. Annika felt intimidated for the first time and reprimanded herself internally for the nonsense she had said. To her surprise, however, Fives laughed while he involuntarily slapped the table and his laughter was followed by others, and when Annika realized, everyone in the group was laughing. She frowned in confusion; did she say something so funny?

“Where did you learn to curse like that?” Fives asked between his chuckles.

"Don't get us wrong, Annika," Cody said. "But it's not common to swear on Mando’a besides us around here."

"It sounded pretty funny to hear you say it so casually." Echo explained. "General Skywalker never said one of these."

“Do you speak Mando’a?” she asked, surprised.

"Many of us were trained by Mandalorians," Rex said. “And consequently, we were taught the language too, but not everyone. A lot of us don’t speak fluently, but understand some words, like the ones you said.”

"Oh," Annika looked at them, the laughter this time had ceased, but the air of excitement still hung there. “Do you speak fluently?”

“Cody and I do,” Rex said.

"Echo and I didn't have Mandalorian sergeants," Fives explained, and he seemed wistful. "But we can understand most things and speak reasonably well."

“I fit into the group that understands but can't talk much,” Jesse said. “Kix speaks better than me.”

"And you, Annika?" Fives asked, his brown eyes staring her with evident interest.

"I can speak, I had a Mas—" Annika broke off before she spoke more than she should. “I had a friend who was Mandalorian and taught me its language. I ended up taking his habit of cursing and mixing the words with Basic.”

“Commander Tano sometimes does that too,” Rex said as he took a sip from his glass. He shook his head as if remembering and Annika noticed a small smile on the corner of his lips. “But it's rare.”

"Oh, yeah, that's true," Cody agreed and smirked. “I've heard it once.”

“Who is Commander Tano?” Annika asked as she swallowed a spoon full of food.

“It's General Skywalker’s Padawan,” Rex said, and Annika's eyes widened.

“What?” she exclaimed incredulously, almost choking on her food. “Anakin has a Padawan?”

Rex narrowed his eyes to her. “He didn't tell you?”

“No!”

She couldn't believe it; her brother was already someone's Master? Annika felt an immense pride grow inside her and her incredulous face was replaced with one of pure joy. If her brother had a Padawan, that meant he already had the title of Jedi Master. _Oh, Annie! I'm so proud of you, so proud!_ _Why didn't you tell me before, you fool?_ _Our mother would be so happy._

Annika covered her mouth with her hand and laughed in euphoria, in happiness. Her brother taking care of a Padawan was both surprising and funny. The Anakin who always had trouble following the rules of the Jedi Code when they were young, and now instructed an apprentice in the same rules he had previously failed to comply with was tragic and comic. But Annika was happy. _He became what I couldn’t_. She was _very _happy.

"I don't believe it," she sighed, wiping tears from her eyes. “The _di'kut_ said nothing to me.”

“He's in trouble,” Kix muttered loud enough for Annika to hear.

“I'm happy for him,” she said. “It's a big step to have a Padawan. Not so long ago we both were ones too. Time flies.”

“It does fly,” Echo agreed.

“And, where is she?” Annika asked.

“Commander Tano had to stay in the Jedi Temple this time,” Captain Rex said. "After we leave Coruscant she’ll join us again."

Annika nodded; now she was too curious to meet the person who was lucky - or unlucky - to be her brother's apprentice.

The food was delicious, and Annika ate vigorously, she took as much food as the troopers, or almost as them, because their plates were bigger, and she smiled inwardly. 

"So," Fives said, his voice low. The others had a conversation about past missions. "Will you stay on Coruscant?"

Annika hadn’t stopped to think about it. She was enjoying so much of her time with her brother that she didn't bother to think about such a situation, she knew she would contact her Master, but that was it. Should she go to Dantooine where he was? Most likely, though, she would have to lie to her brother again.

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully, staring at her plate. “I didn't think about it.”

"I see," he said. “Did you live on any specific planet?”

She looked at him and Fives had a genuinely worried face. “Not really. I went to where I had a job. The ship was my home.” And she wasn't lying, but she often stayed in Dantooine. “But now I'm without a ship. I'll have to stay on Coruscant anyway."

_I would be close to Anakin. It would be nice. But I would be close to the Jedi Order as well, and that could affect Anakin if the Masters decided to do something to stop us._ Annika doubted they could, but she didn't exclude the possibilities.

"I'm sure the General will provide you with a place to stay," Fives assured, he smirked. "He wouldn’t let you down, or would he?"

“You're completely right,” Annika said. "If the Order allowed, Anakin would probably put me to live next to his quarters on the Jedi Temple.”

“Do you miss there?” Fives asked suddenly.

Annika stopped her fork halfway and stared at him. Did she miss it? She couldn't tell either. Perhaps she missed the bedroom she had and the practice times in the courtyards; oh yes, she remembered how well she felt in those spaces. The Jedi Temple was a calm and welcoming environment, but... The Order wasn’t for her. Not_ that_ Order.

"Sorry if I asked you something I shouldn't," Fives said, embarrassed. “It wasn’t my intention to–“

Annika blinked. “What?” she shook her head. “No, it’s fine. It's just that nobody has ever asked me this question before,” Not even Shmi Skywalker or any of the Lars had questioned her, not even Master Esok. Annika answered firmly. “No, Fives, I don't miss it.”

_Are you sure?_ She put her fork in her mouth to ward off her thoughts.

Fives nodded.

"And you Fives," Annika said, turning her face to him. “Do you miss somewhere?”

His gaze lingered on his plate before rising to her. He looked sad, Annika couldn’t say, he also seemed nostalgic, but happy as well.

“I miss my squad,” he said. “Despite the problems we had, we were a good group together.”

“What happened?”

“We were five, “he said. “Now is just me and Echo.”

Annika moved her eyes to Echo and he had his gaze focused on both; he nodded, agreeing with his brother's words. Fives didn't need to explain more; she already understood what he meant.

Annika touched Fives's left hand. He looked at the gesture and then at her.

“I'm sorry,” she said, and Fives smiled with closed lips. “They rest now in the Force, that’s for sure.”

“Thank you.”

She'd sounded a lot like a Jedi to her own taste and she mentally berated herself for sounding so robotic, but Fives didn't seem to care, and Annika was being genuinely honest about what she meant. She couldn’t imagine how much he probably lost or all that he went through; he and all the other troopers of the Republic. She mentally wished all the best for them.

"Ma’am," Annika followed the voice, and Captain Rex had his right arm raised close to his chest. “_Annika_, General Skywalker is looking for you.”

He waved his arm to show the comlink call was open.

"Annika,” Anakin’s voice came through. “I can't believe you ran away from me. How could you?”

His sister rolled her eyes. “Anakin don't be so dramatic.”

Her brother's chuckle was heard by everyone. “I'm on my way. Don’t run this time.”

The call ended and Rex lowered his arm.

“Now _you're_ in trouble,” Kix said, his accusing finger pointed at her and she smiled.

Annika felt _really_ happy for the first time in months since her mother's death. She had her brother with her now. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Coruscant, Core World**

This time, she was able to see Fives and the others every day.

The Resolute was getting ready for landing on Coruscant. Annika was helping troopers catalog ammunition boxes made of durasteel and other tools for removal and replacement in the main hangar. The men of the 501st and 212th battalion treated her very politely, they would explain stuff to her with patience and some were very enthusiastic about having a long conversation with her.

After Coric's confirmation that she could walk normally, Anakin finally left her alone. She was able to have lunch for the next few days in the mess hall, the food wasn’t the same as the first time she ate there, but it was enough to kill the hunger and she also could talk to the troopers she had met on the first day and they ate with her every day. Captain Rex and Commander Cody only a few times; Hardcase joined soon after he was freed from the medical bay. It was impossible not to laugh at his jokes.

In her time on the ship, she used as much of the datapad as she could. Annika researched and studied the hierarchical levels in the GAR, the role of each one and, mainly, battle tactics in different situations. She had prior knowledge of how to act in certain situations because of her Master Esok's training, yet she knew she would need much more. Although the datapad helped, Annika enjoyed more the classes that Fives had given her to get to know the army and his brothers better.

They talked more in the mess hall or the corridors when they met. Annika liked Fives, he was a man with a sense of humor and very supportive. If she needed help with something, he would offer himself right away if he wasn’t busy. He was a good man. She was going to miss those few days she spent at the Resolute with her brother and the men under his command. _I will probably never see them again_, she thought sadly, remembering Fives and the others_. They can be killed in battle at any time_. Looking at the crowded hangar, Annika felt sad.

“Looks like you're having a hard time with that box, ma’am.”

Turning to the direction of the voice, she saw Arc Trooper Fives walking towards her. He had an amused smile on his lips.

The sadness that had overtook her disappeared as soon as her eyes fell on him.

“Ma’am?” Annika said, looking around confused as she held a box in her arms. “I don't see any ma’am.”

"_Annika,"_ he said, stopping in front of her. “Let me take this.”

She was holding a relatively medium box in her arms, while a datapad was in one of her hands. Fives grabbed the box before she had time to deny it.

“I _really_ needed your help,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “I was here all this time waiting just for you to come and help me.”

Fives deposited the box on top of others that were stacked in the hangar. He turned to face Annika.

“Why didn't you asked someone to call me then?”

He smiled and Annika had to return. They had gotten along very well with jokes and sarcastic comments, she had only known him for a few days, but it felt like months. His personality seemed to bring Annika an enthusiasm that she didn't know she had.

“Is Anakin out of the bridge already?” she asked.

"He still there with General Kenobi.”

Her brother had asked her to be part of it, but Annika said that she had already promised the troopers responsible for the boxes that she would help them. Every day in the Resolute Annika tried to find something to be useful with, instead of just staying in her quarters.

She would have to disembark with her brother as he was supposed to take her to senator Padmé Amidala's apartment. When Anakin had told her that he found a place for her to stay in Coruscant, Annika thought it would be a simple hotel room, but when he told her where it would be, she vehemently denied it. Anakin had a friendship with the senator and assured her that it wouldn’t be a problem and that Padmé had already agreed. She had known Annika since she and Anakin were children. According to his brother, Padmé had no hesitation in accepting it.

Annika didn’t want to be a problem for the senator, but her brother insisted, and she accepted. Anakin had seemed too excited about the idea of Annika staying there. She didn’t tell her brother that she still thought he had an attraction for the senator in some way.

Looking behind her, she saw Anakin walking through the hangar along with his Master. Fives also noticed her look. 

“Now you and your brothers can finally rest,” Annika said, looking back at him.

"We won't be completely free," Fives said, he shrugged. “But it's good anyway.”

Annika nodded. She felt sad again. "Well," she began. “Thank you very much for the last days in which we had great conversations. I’ll miss it.”

Fives rested his hand over his helmet attached to his belt; his fingers drummed rhythmically. "They were good days,” he said. “It was great to meet you, Annika. You and the General are good people.” She smiled at the corners of her lips. “And you don't complain about my jokes either.”

She shook her head, amused. “I think your brothers should appreciate your talent more.”

Fives held out his hand to her and Annika took it firmly. She could feel Anakin approaching.

“It was a pleasure, Annika,” he said, with a friendly look. “Good luck on Coruscant.” 

“The same goes to you, Fives,” she said, feeling strange. She opened her mouth to say more but stopped and Fives must have noticed her hesitation as his eyebrows went up. What she was going to say might have sounded very strange to the Arc Trooper, but Annika didn't think much and just spoke. "Do you think we could run into each other in Coruscant by any chance? You never know.”

Fives's fingers seemed to tighten more. “I guess so,” he said, smiling. Annika was relieved. “Give me your comlink.”

Annika took out of her pocket the portable communicator that her brother had given her to keep in touch with him in the Resolute. She handed it to Fives. Their right hands still together.

“I'll keep it registered here,” he said, adding his code to the small object. He typed in his right vambrace what would be Annika's code. She made a mental reminder not to miss that comlink. “And it’s ready. Now we can run into each other.”

They shared an affectionate smile. _Perhaps we could have been great friends_, she imagined, _if the reality for him had been different._ But after Coruscant he would leave and any strong friendship that might have had time to form would end. Annika kept her melancholy thoughts away.

Fives's eyes moved behind her and he finally released her hand. “Sir,” Fives saluted slightly and calmly, but still formally.

Annika definitely left her thoughts about friendship with him behind. _He's an elite soldier, how stupid of me._

“At ease, Fives,” Anakin said. He stopped beside his sister and hugged her by the shoulders. “Ready, Annia?”

Annika looked at her brother and then at Fives; he nodded to her.

“Goodbye, Annika,” he said. “Good luck.”

“Goodbye, Fives,” she said. “Tell the others it was a pleasure. And thank you.”

She didn't have a chance to say goodbye as she wanted to everyone else personally, they were busy and had their duties. She had hoped they would be in the hangar, but the only one who had shown up was Fives. And if he hadn’t, she would have asked Anakin to contact his Captain so he would let Fives know about Annika and her goodbye.

She turned her attention back to Anakin as soon as Fives left them alone. Her brother was happy and his happiness comforted Annika's heart.

___

Padmé Amidala had welcomed her with a warm hug and was way more excited than Annika thought she would be. The senator seemed to be close to her brother as they talked without any formality. Annika found it curious but said nothing.

The senator's apartment left Annika in awe. It was a luxury she never had the chance to own and being able to live in Coruscant from above indicated the person’s status in the ecumenopolis society. Annika thought she would be somewhere below that view before Anakin told the news that she would stay with the senator.

She definitely had nothing to complain about; the room offered to Annika was huge, with tall windows, a bed bigger than she had ever seen, and it had a private bathroom with a bathtub. The wardrobe was large and filled with clothes that the senator had ordered for Annika. Padmé said she hoped she liked the style and if not to just let her know. It was more clothes than Annika had had in her entire life. Her brother had been leaning against the bedroom door with his arms crossed and a mischievous smile on his lips as he watched his sister's frightened face. _Ah, he knew everything, this Bantha’s face._

She had been in the senator's apartment for three days alone. Padmé had said she needed to be gone for a week or two at the most. Annika also didn’t see her brother during those three days.

Annika's hands were sweating on the airspeeder she was driving in the city traffic. It was morning and the Coruscant sun was already high, it was a hot but cool day. She was nervous about going to the Senate District. Her brother first contacted her that morning to warn her that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine wanted to see her in person.

Annika remembered Palpatine from the time when she was in the Jedi Order. He had once gone to the Temple and watched her and Anakin train. She didn't know why, but that day she felt strange with a bad feeling. From her memories, he had always been a kind and friendly man, but for some reason he always seemed to prefer talking to her brother more than to her.

Annika went to one of the several landing platforms in the Senate office building and when she turned off the airspeeder Annika looked around. The Senate was a very busy place, with different ships arriving and leaving the platforms. With a sigh, she got up and hurried to arrive at the time her brother said. Annika still didn’t know why the Chancellor wanted to see her. Anakin didn’t say that he had a specific reason and his answer didn’t diminish her nervousness.

Would he say anything against her intervention in the battle of Bakura? Or was he going to say that being too close to Anakin wasn’t good since the Jedi warned them about it?

She chose the first option.

As she walked Annika felt a sudden chill that made her shiver, she frowned, and her eyes stared at the thousands of living beings who walked around busy with their duties. She felt a slight tug in the Force, an almost imperceptible disturbance, but enough for Annika to feel uncomfortable.

After being released to go to the Chancellor's floor and office, Annika kept her pace fast, the elevator seemed to take longer than she expected to go up. As soon as the doors opened Annika found herself in the entrance hall. There were three clone troopers of the Coruscant Guard in front of the office door and Annika recognized them immediately thanks to Fives and their conversations about the army. The trooper positioned in the middle was the Commander.

“Ma’am,” he said. His voice was heavier, but with visible authority. “I'll let the Chancellor know that you arrived.”

“Thank you.”

The trooper in the red armor typed on his vambrace and the Chancellor's response came sympathetically as soon as the Commander finished talking.

"But of course, Commander Fox," he said. “Please let her in now.”

“Yes, sir.”

That strange feeling in the Force continued and Annika tried to ignore it.

She nodded to Commander Fox and went into the office feeling that cold returning.

***

As soon as his eyes landed on the figure entering the room, Palpatine smiled.

Annika Skywalker walked in slow steps, her eyes were wide open, and he could feel her anxiety, but she managed a smile, nonetheless. _Ah, the other Chosen One_, of course, he would never forget the girl.

Palpatine was able to meet both the Chosen Ones well enough to decide who was the most vulnerable. Annika was much more closed than her brother and strictly followed the Jedi Code. She was good at avoiding answering questions that could stir her emotions, not like Anakin. Palpatine had two options and Anakin was the weakest and most turbulent mind that he could work with. So when the girl left the Order, Palpatine didn't bother to try to go after her and use her now that she would be free of the Jedi. He had Anakin and he was just as strong in the Force as his sister. When the girl returned to Tatooine Palpatine still kept an eye on her, but soon left her aside as her twin brother mattered more.

However, when Anakin told him that his sister was back and that she had fought in Bakura, Palpatine couldn’t have been more excited. The bond between the brothers was strong, and he had felt Anakin's fear and distress while explaining that she had been hurt. He could use that to his advantage now. And nothing better than to keep the brothers together.

“Annika, my dear, it is a pleasure to see you after so many years,” he said, rising from his chair to meet her.

“Chancellor Palpatine, the pleasure is mine.”

Their hands tightened and Annika's nervousness was visible.

“When Anakin told me yesterday about you, I knew I had to see you.”

She released his hand. “Ah, so it was Anakin,” Annika placed her hands in front of her body.

"Of course it was," Palpatine said. “He never fails to tell me about the important battles and victories in which he participates.”

“I saw that the troops needed help, Chancellor,” She started to explain. “I had to help. I hope this—"

“Don't worry, my dear,” he said. “I can see that there is still that Jedi courage to help others in you. Please sit down.” Palpatine indicated one of the seats facing his table and Annika thanked him by sitting down. “Do you accept something to drink?”

“No, it’s fine, thank you.”

The girl's jaws were clenched, her discomfort was noticeable to him. He just couldn't tell if it was because of seeing him or for fear of reprisal.

Sitting in his chair, Palpatine kept his smile. “How are you, Annika?”

“I'm fine, Chancellor,” she replied, her face more relaxed. “I’m very good.”

“Ah, I don't doubt that,” he said. “To be able to see your brother again after the Order said he couldn't anymore is really a relief, isn't it?”

She blinked, visibly confused. “Ah, yes, it is.”

“Anakin told me that you visited him after the battle of Geonosis,” Palpatine explained, his voice deep with grief. “He also told me what happened before. I'm sorry for the death of Shmi Skywalker, Annika. I'm sure she was a great woman. I can't imagine the pain you and Anakin felt losing her in such a cruel manner; murdered by wild Tuskens.”

The young Skywalker's eyes stared at him, she swallowed, her hands clasped in her lap. There was anguish in her eyes, he could feel her distress and there was something else that he saw, the same that he felt in Anakin; _fault._

“I understand that you didn't arrive in time to save her,” He continued. “He also told me that you weren’t in Tatooine before either. He had said that you would stay with her after leaving the Order. I'm sorry, Annika, I'm sure it wasn't your fault.”

Then he felt what pleased him the most. Rage. Pain.

“It’s all right, Chancellor,” she said with a thin voice. “She's in a better place now. With the Force.”

“Of course.”

Her answer was short and that was something that set her apart from Anakin. Her brother had poured out all his anger and frustration while talking to Palpatine. He blamed the Jedi for never having released their mother when they were still children, he blamed his Master, but he never blamed his sister. As much as Palpatine had tried in some way to put the idea that his sister was responsible for what happened, Anakin didn't see it that way, his love for her was too big for that. And that love would be perfect for the Chancellor's plans.

“I’m sorry. I didn't want to bother you with these memories again,” Palpatine said.

Annika shook her head. "It’s fine, Chancellor,” she said as she forced a smile.

“I wanted to thank you for your action in Bakura,” he said, the tension on Annika's face eased and her hands relaxed. “It was very brave of you. Battles are always very dangerous, but the Jedi are always prepared to fight. And even if you are not a Jedi, you showed yourself to be very skilled.”

“Thank you, Chancellor,” she said. “Jedi are indeed good fighters.”

“Ah, I don't doubt that,” He smiled. “Did you kept training after leaving the Order? Anakin told me that you’re stronger in the Force.”

“Yes,” she said. “I liked to practice what I had learned.”

"And your two lightsabers," Palpatine observed, curious. “They're new, right? Because you didn't leave with the one you used in the Order before.”

“Yes, they are new, Chancellor,” she replied, her voice seemed to hesitate. _Interesting._ “One I found and the other I made myself.”

“So you haven't forgotten the teachings you received from your short time in the Order,” he said. “Very good. I thought that after leaving you wouldn't want to know anything about the Jedi anymore, let alone having the same weapon as them.”

She was thoughtful, the surprise visible on her face. “I didn’t want to get rid of the Force or what I learned,” she explained. “I just wanted to have a life without having to follow their Code.”

“Oh, I see, my dear,” Palpatine said. “The Jedi Code for you and your brother has always been complicated to follow, hasn't it?”

“Yes,” she agreed. “But at least Anakin seems to be much better in this than I tried to be.”

_Ah, Annika, you have no idea how well your brother follows the Code._

“Anakin is indeed a great Jedi,” he said. “And he is really happy that you’re here, it seems to me.”

Annika smiled. “It's good to be close to him,” Her smile suddenly disappeared, and her face became serious. “But the Jedi Masters certainly don't agree with that.”

“I see,” Palpatine said. “But why bother with what they think? You’re brothers, you should see each other whenever you want. You should be close to each other. Don’t let the Jedi Masters prevent you two from your right. After all, you’re both the Chosen Ones.

Annika looked at him in awe, eyes wide. _That’s right. _

“It's against the Code—"

“But we have Jedi brothers in the Order if I remember correctly,” Palpatine continued. “Master Tiplar and Master Tiplee are sisters and fight together. Is someone stopping them?”

Annika's anger and frustration, despite her face remaining neutral, was palpable in the Force. _She really is Anakin's twin sister, after all._

"But Chancellor," Annika said, her brows furrowed. “Both are Jedi, so that's okay. I left the Order—"

“When you were children,” Palpatine continued interrupting her. “You were trained separately and had little time together when you were free, right?” Annika nodded slowly as if remembering. “On missions, you never went together, or am I wrong? “She denied with her head. “It seems to me, that the Jedi wanted only the two of you apart. So, tell me, Annika, why should you care about what the Masters say about you two being close?”

She looked at him.

And Palpatine smiled internally.

She looked so... conflicted. He could feel, taste it; it was wonderful.

“There’s no reason,” She said with a low voice. 

“Exactly,” Palpatine said. “So, I'm going to offer you something.”

Palpatine leaned forward in his desk, his eyes fixed on her. “You love your brother, Annika, don't you?” She nodded vehemently. “Tell me, how did it feel to fight alongside the Republic defending the side that your brother fights?”

“I—,” Annika hesitated, her eyes looked at her hands and then at him again. “I felt good.”

"Being with your brother is good for you, isn't it?" he asked, and Annika nodded slightly. “He's the only family you have left, of course, you would feel good. You may not be a Jedi, Annika, but you have their courage and their strength and you can be even better than them If I may say.” He paused, a smile on the corner of his lips. Annika kept an attentive eye on his words. “That's why I ask you, would you like to be part of the Republic's army and fight alongside Anakin?”

Annika was astonished, her eyes wide and her mouth open in an answer that took seconds to come. “What?” She took a deep breath, her voice thinner. “Me and Anakin, together?”

“That's right, my dear,” Palpatine said, enjoying it more than he expected. “You’ll be part of his Legion, the 501st, and you’ll be a Commander. If it were for you to be a General, you would need to have your own Legion and this wouldn’t make you close to Anakin.” And that wasn’t in his plan. 

"But Anakin already has a Commander in his Legion," Annika said sounding anxious. “He has his padawan—"

“True,” Palpatine said. “And there is indeed no need for two Commanders, but I can do it for you; for your brother.”

Annika's breathing was faster, her fingers were drumming her lap, the muscles in her arm tensed, and her gaze seemed lost.

“Do you accept?”

Her eyes strayed to the view behind him of Coruscant's sunny morning. Annika Skywalker emitted as many emotions as her brother, only those sensitive to the Force could perceive if they were strong enough. Palpatine didn't need to try. She could have been more reclusive, but she was just as vulnerable as her brother. Palpatine could have laughed.

With an uncertain look on him again, Annika answered in a low voice. “Does Anakin know this?”

"Not yet," Palpatine replied. “He’ll know when you accept.”

“Can I give you the answer later?”

"Yes, you can," Palpatine said. “But remember, I need your answer within two weeks before Anakin leaves Coruscant again with his Legion.”

“I understand.” She got up from her chair and Palpatine repeated her movement. “I appreciate the offer, Chancellor. I’ll give you the answer as soon as possible”

“Think well,” Palpatine walked over to her. “You won’t regret. Think of _Anakin._”

She smiled and Palpatine returned it.

Everything was going as planned. In the end, he would have one of the Chosen Ones for himself, while the weakest would simply be eliminated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading <3


	7. Chapter 7

** Coruscant, Core world **

The morning after her conversation with the Chancellor, Annika woke up early and stayed in bed, pondering.

Her brother didn't yet made his morning call to find out how she was doing. According to Anakin, he was busy at the Jedi Temple and that’s why he couldn’t visit her. Annika didn’t mind at all, he needed to do his tasks. She also needed to communicate with her Master because the only thing she did was let him know through their bond that she was all right.

The sun was coming in through the huge windows and heating her face but Annika didn’t mind at all. Her eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, her fingers moving around the hem of her nightgown carelessly. Chancellor Palpatine's words kept repeating in her mind. _ It seems to me that the Jedi wanted only the two of you apart. So, tell me, Annika, why should you care about what the Masters say about you two being close? _He was right, they shouldn't care, their bond was strong, and no Jedi could take that away from them. They wouldn’t do it. Annika wouldn’t let them, and she knew Anakin thought the same.

_ That's why I ask you, would you like to be part of the Republic's army and fight alongside Anakin? _

Being with her brother was all she wanted since leaving the Order; she was always wishing him to be on Tatooine, with their mother. The three together. After encountering him on that planet, that wish only increased, and after the death of their mother, Annika only thought about her brother. _ He's all I have left; he and Esok are all I have. _ She didn’t answer Palpatine as she needed to analyze his offer, although she wanted to be with Anakin in battles, she needed to be rational, she knew.

_ I would be with him, and there would be nothing the Order could do about it. _

Palpatine's words floated in her mind._ You won’t regret. Think of Anakin. _ Oh, she _ was _thinking.

She turned her face away and her eyes fell on the comm. on the table beside her.

_ Fives! _ Why hadn't she thought of him before? She reached for the object and grabbed it tightly, staring at it she felt uncertainty take over her. He hadn't called and neither had she, he could be busy, why would he care about the General's sister wanting to talk to him? _ I should at least try _. Fives was an Arc Trooper of the 501st Legion. Who better to talk about Palpatine's offer to her than he?

Searching for his code, she activated the call and waited anxiously with eyes wide open looking at Coruscant's sky through the tall windows.

“Annika?” His voice came full of surprise and also seemed heavier as if he had been sleeping.

_ Oh, you stupid girl! _ Annika brought her hand against her forehead, remembering that it was still too early in the morning.

“Fives?” she said feeling shy.

There was a moment of pause and she could hear other voices in the background.

“I didn't expect a call so soon,” he said, his voice now sounding normal again.

“I’m sorry,” Annika said, embarrassed. “I didn't want to wake you up and disturb you. I'm sorry. I can call—"

"No," he said, letting out a chuckle. “It’s okay, I was already awake. You’re not disturbing.”

Annika sighed with relief as she dropped her body on the bed. “Are you busy?” she asked.

“Not yet,” he said. “I’m glad you called. I didn't expect this to happen, to be honest.”

She smirked. “I thought you’d be more hopeful.”

“And I am. Very much.”

They both shared a chuckle and Annika suddenly missed their moments on the Resolute, even if they had been quite quick and few at times.

“I—,” She bit her bottom lip. “I need your help.”

Fives' response came quickly, and the tone of his voice lowered.

“Did something happen?”

“Well,” Annika exasperated loudly, closing her eyes. “Not really. Can we meet to talk? If you can.”

There was silence again and Annika was sure he would deny it. She felt stupid for asking something so futile of him, a soldier who certainly had more important things to do.

“Yes, we can,” he replied. Annika opened her eyes to stare the ceiling again. “It could be today.”

“It would be great!” Annika said, her voice sounded too excited and she scolded herself mentally. “Hum, and what time is best for you?”

“At fifteen hundred,” he said. “Where would we meet?”

She hadn't thought of that. With a long look at the room she was in, she answered. “Could it be at senator Amidala's apartment?”

Another pause again. “Are you sure, Annika?” he asked, sounding uncertain.

“Yes, there won’t be a problem,” she assured. “I'm alone too.”

Another pause but his answer came quickly.

“All right, if you say so,” Fives said. “Does General Skywalker know?”

"No," she said. “But I’ll let him know. Will this cause you problems?”

"Actually, no.”

She smiled. 

Annika told him the senator's apartment address and said goodbye to Fives. He had been the trooper with whom she had talked the most while being at the Resolute. He had helped her from the beginning and for some reason, Annika felt very good when he was around. Accepting Palpatine's offer would not only leave her close to Anakin but also to all the troopers she had met.

***

Fives was taken by surprise when Annika's name appeared on his comm.

He was just finishing putting on his armor when the call came in. His eyes lingered a few seconds on his arm before he answered, he wasn't alone in the barracks and as soon as Annika's voice came over, Echo and Coric's faces stared at him with their eyebrows furrowed. And their reactions weren’t for nothing. Why would the General's sister want to talk to him? Fives shouldn't have been so surprised; he was the one that exchanged commlinks with her. What else was he thinking? In fact, Fives hadn't given much thought to why he got Annika's contact.

He just shrugged to his brothers and talked to Annika, but it became difficult to ignore their looks when she mentioned meeting him at senator Amidala's apartment and that she would be alone. Echo narrowed his eyes inquisitively and Coric looked at him seriously.

“Can you tell us what that means?” Coric asked, arms crossed. 

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Fives said, turning his back on them as he fastened his chestplate. He felt his face suddenly heated up.

“Right,” Coric said, but his voice was suspicious. “Don’t forget that she’s General's Skywalker sister, Fives.”

“I said it's not what you’re thinking,” Fives said, sounding more gruff than he intended to.

A few minutes passed while Fives finished fastening on his pauldrons. He heard footsteps moving away and turned to look in time to see Coric leaving. Echo was sitting on his bunk putting on his boots. Fives was glad the barracks only had them when the comm. call came.

“So, you gave her your contact?” Echo asked placidly, without looking at him.

"Yes," Fives took his pistols from his bunk. “She asked if we could one day run into each other on Coruscant. I never thought the place where we would meet was going to be the senator's house.”

Echo stood up and looked at him.

"I see, _ vod," _ he said. “Let’s go or we'll be late.”

He was grateful that Echo didn’t insist on the subject, he said nothing else and Fives was relieved. His brother understood him very well. There was nothing between him and Annika, and Fives didn't want anyone to be suspicious just because he went where she was living in Coruscant. At least he didn't have to worry about Coric and Echo as they wouldn't say anything. Annika was just the General's sister, and she had asked for help, Fives wasn’t going to deny her that. He had no other interest if that was what his brothers had been thinking that morning.

Fives landed the speeder bike on the landing platform at the entrance to senator Amidala's building at exactly the time he had scheduled with Annika. The building was so high that he could barely see the top. That part of Coruscant he never really would go, he was always in the military regions of the GAR. He got up from his seat and looked around as he waited for her. It didn’t take long as he soon saw her leaving the building and walking towards him.

Annika was... _different._ Her blond hair was loose and falling over her shoulders to her waist; she wore a white sleeveless shirt that made her lower abdomen appear a little as the movement of her arms moved the short shirt. Her pants were of a dark blue and were tight enough to make her hips and legs look prominent. Fives had his helmet on, and he didn't bother to avert his glance from her lower body. That thought left Fives feeling guilty and he fixed his eyes on her face as she approached. He took off his helmet to smile at the young woman.

"Fives," She had a contagious smile, enough to make anyone feel welcome and somehow he enjoyed that very much.

Annika didn’t stop coming closer as she wrapped her arms around Fives in a strong hug. He was caught off guard and It took Fives a few seconds to figure out her gesture, but he returned by gently squeezing her back. Her hair brushed against his face; Annika’s perfume was good and he inhaled involuntarily; he hoped she didn’t notice. He wasn’t expecting Annika to greet him that way but then he remembered, she wasn’t a Jedi, there was no reason to be formal.

The thought of being alone with her at senator Amidala's apartment sent chills up his back but he ignored it.

“Annika,” They broke apart, but Annika remained close enough that he could still smell her scent. “Good to see you again.”

She looked very cheerful; her happiness was evident. “Thank you so much for coming, Fives,” Annika said. “How are you?”

“I'm fine,” he replied. “And you seem to be doing very well too.”

Annika still had that contagious smile on her lips. “I am even better now,” she said playfully. “Let's go in, It's very hot out here.”

They went to the building, entering the lobby towards the elevators. Fives fastened his helmet to his belt as his hands rested on it.

“How are the others?” Annika asked as they walked.

"They're fine," Fives said. “Hardcase hasn't broken any bones, yet.”

They stopped in front of the elevator and Annika pushed the button. She turned to him.

“Ah, that's great,” she said. “Sometimes I find myself remembering his jokes.”

“They're horrible,” Fives shook his head. “But I have to admit that they're funny sometimes.”

“They're not bad, Fives,” Annika said, amused. “They’re good just like your jokes.”

“What?” Fives chuckled. “My jokes are better.”

The elevator opened its doors and Annika stepped in first. Fives's gaze dropped unconsciously and went up as fast as it had fallen when Annika turned to him. _ You di’kut _, he felt embarrassed, something that rarely happened, but Annika didn't seem to see, and he followed her inside with relief.

The elevator had transparisteel windows from the floor to the ceiling and it was possible to see the city. Fives' eyes stared outside as they started to go up.

“I always enjoyed the view that Coruscant gives from above,” Annika commented, she followed his gaze. “I always felt calm when I lived in the Temple and watched the sky.”

It was still strange to comprehend the fact that she wasn’t a Jedi like General Skywalker. Fives glanced her.

“Coruscant isn’t a bad city, though,” Fives said. “But I like a place less... populated.”

Annika remained for a few seconds staring at the view before smiling to him. “I understand,” she said.

The elevator stopped and this time Fives kept his eyes up when Annika left. She led him through the entrance hall. The place also had windows that went up to the ceiling and illuminated the corridor with sunlight.

“Have you eaten already?” she asked.

"Yes," Fives said. “Delicious ration cubes.”

Annika opened the double door at the end of the hall and held it for Fives to pass.

“The Arcs first,” she smirked.

Fives wasn’t expecting the apartment to be so large; the living room could fit an entire 501st Company and there would still be space left. That shouldn’t be so surprising. Padmé Amidala was a senator and senators had a rich life. Annika must have noticed the way he looked around because she touched his arm gently.

"I know, that's a lot," she said, opening her arms. “I'm not used to it yet. And I also won’t be here long enough to get used as I plan to find somewhere else to stay.”

“You have a great view from here,” Fives pointed to the balcony of the living room that opened to the sky of Coruscant. “This is very... luxurious.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “For someone who was used to sleeping in a tiny bed in a small house on a planet that only had sand and sun almost twenty-four hours a day, this is all a lot for me.”

Fives moved his eyes to her, and Annika had that same lost look from when they first had lunch and he had asked her if she missed living in the Jedi Temple. Fives found himself wondering what her life must have been like after leaving the Order. He doubted it had been easy and without difficulties.

"We didn't have any luxury either," Fives said, looking back to the balcony. “I mean us clones.”

“And where are you from?” Annika asked. Fives looked back at her as she had a confused expression. He remembered back at the Resolute that they never talked about any of this nor she had asked about it either.

“Kamino,” he said. “We were created, raised and trained there. All clones.”

She seemed to want to ask more about, but her words didn't come and she nodded in silence.

"Well," Annika said after a few seconds, looking hesitant. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Water would be enough.”

Annika smiled politely and headed for a table near the entrance that had several bottles on it. Fives kept his gaze on the busy air traffic of Coruscant. Annika came back with two glass cups in hand, she handed him one and indicated the sofa for them to sit on. The water was cold, and Fives drank it in one sip.

“I called you because I said I needed your help, right?” Annika said, both hands holding the glass on her lap. Fives nodded attentively to her words. “Well, I’m about to say something I didn’t tell anyone yet.” Her light blue eyes stared at him. “I spoke with Chancellor Palpatine yesterday and he offered me a position in the GAR. I told him I would think about it.”

Her words came quickly and abruptly, Fives blinked, surprised. Annika gazed at him expectantly, but she continued.

“He congratulated me for what I did in Bakura and said that I could fight alongside Anakin,” Her eyes fell to the floor, and she bit her bottom lip. “He offered me a place as a Commander in the 501st.”

Fives was startled for a moment. Annika could have talked to anyone else in the galaxy, but for some reason, she decided he was the best option instead of someone else. Fives felt privileged to be the first to hear about such news, glad that she chose him, of all people, to talk about it.

His lips parted in a full smile.

“That's great news, Annika,” he said. She stared at him looking visibly relieved, a low sigh left her lips and her eyes opened in anticipation for his words. “It's a surprise, but a good one.”

“I wanted to know what you think of that, I—,” she interrupted herself. “I thought that since you’re part of the legion you could help me—"

Annika looked away from him into the sky of Coruscant. She was visibly nervous.

“Annika,” Fives touched her arm. She looked back at him. “If you’re worried that you won’t be accepted by the troopers, don't be. The men would welcome you.” As much as Annika was a polite person to those who met her, be part of 501st meant that she would have to demonstrate much more than that in battle. They cared about respect, and if she had that in those situations, she would be much more than just accepted. “You said that the Chancellor offered you the position as a Commander.”

“Yes,” Annika said. “I know about Anakin's padawan and told him but Palpatine said it wouldn't be a problem two in the same legion. He said it wouldn’t be good for me to be a General, because that way I wouldn't be with Anakin,” Annika furrowed her eyebrows. “And I want to be close to my brother.”

"Annika," Fives said with a firm voice. “I understand that you want to be close to General Skywalker. But you understand that you're going be part of a war.” Annika's gaze was serious, which made Fives almost feel intimidated by her eyes. “And maybe you’ll be getting more than just a blaster scar.”

"I know, Fives," she said. “I know the risks, but in Bakura, I had never felt so belonged in something as when I was fighting,” She rested her elbows on her knee, leaning closer to Fives and he could smell her nice perfume again. “When I saw all of you being cornered by the Separatists, I knew I had to do something. And now, I still want to do something. And mostly, I want to be with my brother.”

Fives didn't think she was uncertain as to what answer she would give Chancellor Palpatine, she seemed confident of what she wanted. _She just needed someone to talk to,_ he thought. She just wanted someone who wasn't her brother. _ And she chose me, of all the galaxy. _

“It will be a challenge to have two Skywalkers in the 501st,” Fives joked, an ironic smile on his lips and Annika chuckled.

“Ah yes, two reckless Skywalkers,” she said. “What could possibly go wrong? But I promise you, I'm not _ that _ reckless.”

"If that's what you want," Fives said, honestly. “ And knowing everything that will come with your decision and the responsibility you’re going to have,” He had no doubts that Annika would care about the lives of those she would lead. Fives was more concerned with that than whether she was going to be reckless or not. “Then I say you must accept.”

Annika stared him with those eyes that Fives found it to be gorgeous. She was very close to him on the couch and the way she looked at him made him feel those chills from before.

"I know I’ll have to learn a lot," she said. “I’ll be like a padawan who has just started training with a Master and doesn’t know much. But I’ll learn. I know that your brothers' lives will be in my hands the moment I have the title of a Commander,” Annika reached out a hand and placed it on Fives' left hand. The same gesture she had made when they had lunch for the first time. Fives wished he wasn't wearing his gloves. “I promise that I’ll fight not only for the Republic but for you and your brothers.”

Fives believed her.

General Skywalker was respected by everyone, despite his recklessness, because he was always leading his men in the front and he treated them with the same respect the others gave him. For what Fives had witnessed in Bakura and for the past week with her at the Resolute and now in the senator’s apartment, she was demonstrating herself to be a lot like her brother. Fives was an Arc Trooper and he wasn’t always with the General in battles, but he wished he could fight alongside Annika for more times.

“I know you will,” he said at last. "Does that mean I have to start calling you _Commander_ Skywalker then?"

"I’m not a Commander," she replied, arching an eyebrow. “I haven't confirmed it yet.”

"But you will," Fives said. “And I'll have to start calling you Commander Skywalker. I have to admit is going to be hard to get used, especially since we have a General already called Skywalker.”

She giggled, her fingers tightening around his hand.

“That's true,” she said. “But between us, you can call me just Annika.”

He wished to tell her that maybe they weren't going to be alone most of the time, or that they might not even see each other to have that chance. But Fives kept these thoughts away as he himself didn’t want to accept them. Annika was a good company to have around, she was nice and had a sense of humor, and most importantly, she laughed at his jokes that Echo said to be horrible.

“I'll keep that information, Commander,” he said. Annika rolled her eyes in amusement.

She tilted her head to the side and gazed at him. For the first time in his life, Fives felt shy around a woman. She traveled her light eyes slowly through his face, his hair, his tattoo on his temple, his eyes and finally at his lips.

"Fives," Annika whispered. “How old are you?”

He hesitated a little before finally answering. “I’m eleven years old.”

He thought Annika would be puzzled, but all she did was look at him with grief. He kept speaking. “We’re created with growth acceleration,” Fives explained. 

“Is there a way to reverse the process?” Annika asked curiously. “Is there a way to stop the acceleration?”

“I don't know,” he answered, sincere. “I never really thought about it.” Was it possible? Perhaps, or not.

Annika looked thoughtful, she squeezed Fives's hand again and returned a gently look.

“I’m sure it’s reversible,” she said. Fives also hoped it to be, but were the Kaminoans going to carry out such a process on the millions of them that existed? He doubted it.

Fives furrowed his eyebrows. “Annika, can I also ask you a question?” he said, and Annika nodded. “What about your mother?” Her hand on his trembled, but her face remained neutral. “When we were in Bakura, General Kenobi told Echo, Cody, and Rex that you had left the Order and moved back to live with your mother when he explained that you weren’t a Jedi. Is she still on Tatooine?”

Annika looked down at Fives's hand, looking lost in thought again.

“She passed away, Fives,” Annika said. “That's why I'm here. Because after her death I had to do something with my life outside that terrible planet. That’s why I started to smuggle; I left Tatooine because of her death.” She swallowed, her voice strangely thinner.

Fives pulled his hand out from under hers and put it on top. Their fingers could have intertwined if either had made a move to do so. Annika continued for a few seconds watching the gesture and then looked at him again. She had a complicated look to understand; she could be sad or nostalgic.

“I'm so sorry,” That's all he said.

Annika swallowed again and nodded; a smile that seemed too forced formed on the corner of her lips. It wasn’t his intention to leave her feeling bad, and he berated himself. _ I shouldn't have asked that. _

Fives’ fingers moved to caress Annika’s hands. Their eyes were locked on each other. She returned the gesture as their fingers started to hold each other in a very slow way, it was almost too intimate as their hands were finally intertwining with—

The comm. on Fives's arm chimed, and he and Annika were brought out of the silence abruptly. The sudden sound scaring them both, and the hands that were once joined were quickly released. Fives let out a low growl of irritation. Before seeing the ID in his arm, he gave Annika a quick look. She stared at the floor as her hands held the glass cup.

Fives frowned as he answered. “Yes, Echo?” His voice came out drier than it should have been, and his brother seemed to notice.

"Sorry to interrupt you, _ vod _," Echo said. “I wouldn't call if it wasn't important. I need you in the barracks now.”

Fives sighed. He just wanted to be free that day after morning’s work. He wished he could have more time to spend with Annika.

"Got it," Fives said. “I'm on my way.”

The comm. was turned off and Fives returned his attention to Annika, this time she was looking at him.

“Thank you very much for coming,” she said, a shy smile on her lips. “I hope we see each other again.”

“I hope so too, Annika.”

Fives got up and Annika accompanied him to the elevator. They remained silent during the short walk. Fives touched the elevator’s panel and it opened instantly. He turned to Annika and smiled.

“Take care, Commander.”

She shook her head and crossed her arms. “Take care of yourself too, Arc Trooper Fives.”

He got into the elevator and Annika waved to him, Fives returned the same gesture. As soon as the doors closed, he sighed. _A goodbye hug wouldn't have been bad either._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3  
It means a lot.  
:}


End file.
